Actun Tunichil Muknal, or Cave of the Stone Sepulcher, is a long subterranean cave in the Roaring Creek Valley of the Cayo region of Belize, used by the Classic period Maya.
Offering at Actun Tunichil Muknal or ATM Cave. Photo by Jkolecki
Discovered in 1989, the cave holds evidence of the Classic Maya religion, in particular bloodletting rituals and human sacrifice related to the Maya rain god Chaac. The remains of 14 people were found within the cave, and archaeologists believe that some of the ritual activities may be in part a response to the severe drought at the end of the Classic period.
Actun Tunichil Muknal (or ATM Cave) is open to visitors, so if you're in Belize, be sure to schedule a tour, and in the meantime, read Contributing Writer Nicoletta Maestri's new article on ATM Cave.
- Actun Tunichil Muknal
- Chaac, the Maya rain god
- Bloodletting Rituals
- Caves in Mesoamerica
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