Archaeological Sities

The largest Maya Archaeological Site in Southern Belize is Lubaantun (Place of the Fallen Stones). This Late Classic Maya site is well known for its mass of mould-made ceramic whistle figurines and its stair-like (stepped) architecture. It is also the only known archaeological site in the region known for its rounded cornerstones. It has been the centre of a historic controversy over the authenticity of a Crystal Skull. It is said that in 1924 Frederick Mitchell-Hedges unearthed a quartz crystal artefact representing the human skull. It is presently in the possession of his daughter in Canada. Lubaantun has three ball

Nim Li Punit (big hat) was only discovered in 1976. This site has been classified as strictly a Late Classic period site. Situated along the top of a ridge in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, the site has a commanding view of the coastal plains of the Toledo District. Nim Li Punit lacks the architectural wonder of other Mayan sites, but is special for a number of reasons. First, the buildings are constructed of dry masonry sandstone as opposed to the mortar and limestone used in other areas. Second is the large number of stelae found at this site. Twenty