The concept of a subterranean underworld is quite common in world religions. From the Hades of ancient Greece to the Yomi of Japanese Shinto beliefs even Christianity has its Hell the bowels of the earth are frequently depicted as the realm, be it refuge or prison, of departed souls. It's hardly surprising, then, to learn that the ancient Maya had similar conceptions but they took this idea to an even higher (or lower) level. Archaeologists have uncovered a series of catacomb-like passages that appear to have been used explicitly as a route for the souls of the dead to make the journey into Xibalba, the mythical Mayan underworld.
At an archaeological site in the Yucatn peninsula, a stunningly extensive network of subterranean caves, passages, and even temples has given physical substantiation to the beliefs of the Maya, at least to the point of showing us how seriously they took their ideas about making passage to the underground land of the dead. Today, these caves are largely filled with water, but some scientists believe that they were always kept, and indeed constructed, in that fashion. Since our modern explorers required scuba gear to fully explore the caverns, one can only imagine the dedication and strength of the original builders.
History of the Ancient Tablets
The writings of the Maya, often preserved in tablet form, suggest that the caves may have served the double purpose of acting as a flood barrier. This would have been an important function, given that many such sites exist under or adjacent to large temples or areas of settlement. The Maya regarded death as less of a permanent transformation and more of a journey or transference between states of being; as such, the underground caves provided a literal road by which the departed could travel to their new realm of residence, forging a physical link between to worlds: that of the living, and that of the dead.
Subterranean Skeletons
It's not uncommon for archaeologists to discover human remains in these cave passages, or to stumble across skeletons half-buried near the pools and flooded sections adjacent to the underground rivers. The frequency with which human bones are uncovered at these sites has lead researchers to believe that the tunnels were thought of literally as a portal by which the recently deceased could make their way to Xibalba.
At least fourteen similar cave sites have been discovered in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. Often, the caves themselves are decorated with huge columns, carved by hand out of the subterranean rock, as well as sculptures, pottery, and other ritual detritus. The ceramics often contain kill holes, small openings in the bottom that were meant to allow spirits to escape from the vessel during a ritual offering.
Supposedly, the path to Xibalba was no easy journey. The souls of the dead would walk a perilous path, passing houses filled with ghosts, walls dripping with blood, and passages filled with snakes and spiders. A successful journey would require the help of benevolent spirits, such as a mythical dog with the power to see in utter darkness, but even then, many tests and trials would have to be endured in order to at last gain admittance to the land of the dead.
Descending into the Depths
For those who haven't yet been, it's difficult to imagine the eerie sense of transportation one experiences when descending into a Mayan cave. Standing at the end of a subterranean road, gazing into the inky abyss of a pool at the foot of an immense and intricately-carved pillar, with broken shards and human bones strewn about the site, it's hard not to feel both a thrill of fear and a sense of immense awe at the reverence that their creators once held for these sites.
The Mayans' above-ground achievements, like the famous pyramids of Tikal and Calakmul, may be more well known; however, their subterranean construction work is neither less impressive nor less important from an historical perspective. In fact, archaeologists consider the two as halves of the same whole; the caves and their cenote entrances served as important sources of fresh water, without which the cities themselves could never have flourished, as the Yucatan is a region remarkable devoid of rivers or conventional fresh water sources. The Mayans wisely chose to build near the few areas of potable water available to them, and likely thereafter found that the caves were as valuable from a religious and spiritual point of view as they were from a practical one. Many of these sites can be visited today by anyone who can manage a moderately taxing hike.
Many of these caves can be see by the public, although they do require some amount of physical activity to successfully navigate. You can take guided tours of many of the caves, like Belize's Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM). They're a great day-long excursion if you happen to be vacationing in the area, although the act of descending into the physical reality of the ancient Mayan underworld is awe-inspiring enough to plan a trip just to have the experience!
At an archaeological site in the Yucatn peninsula, a stunningly extensive network of subterranean caves, passages, and even temples has given physical substantiation to the beliefs of the Maya, at least to the point of showing us how seriously they took their ideas about making passage to the underground land of the dead. Today, these caves are largely filled with water, but some scientists believe that they were always kept, and indeed constructed, in that fashion. Since our modern explorers required scuba gear to fully explore the caverns, one can only imagine the dedication and strength of the original builders.
History of the Ancient Tablets
The writings of the Maya, often preserved in tablet form, suggest that the caves may have served the double purpose of acting as a flood barrier. This would have been an important function, given that many such sites exist under or adjacent to large temples or areas of settlement. The Maya regarded death as less of a permanent transformation and more of a journey or transference between states of being; as such, the underground caves provided a literal road by which the departed could travel to their new realm of residence, forging a physical link between to worlds: that of the living, and that of the dead.
Subterranean Skeletons
It's not uncommon for archaeologists to discover human remains in these cave passages, or to stumble across skeletons half-buried near the pools and flooded sections adjacent to the underground rivers. The frequency with which human bones are uncovered at these sites has lead researchers to believe that the tunnels were thought of literally as a portal by which the recently deceased could make their way to Xibalba.
At least fourteen similar cave sites have been discovered in Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. Often, the caves themselves are decorated with huge columns, carved by hand out of the subterranean rock, as well as sculptures, pottery, and other ritual detritus. The ceramics often contain kill holes, small openings in the bottom that were meant to allow spirits to escape from the vessel during a ritual offering.
Supposedly, the path to Xibalba was no easy journey. The souls of the dead would walk a perilous path, passing houses filled with ghosts, walls dripping with blood, and passages filled with snakes and spiders. A successful journey would require the help of benevolent spirits, such as a mythical dog with the power to see in utter darkness, but even then, many tests and trials would have to be endured in order to at last gain admittance to the land of the dead.
Descending into the Depths
For those who haven't yet been, it's difficult to imagine the eerie sense of transportation one experiences when descending into a Mayan cave. Standing at the end of a subterranean road, gazing into the inky abyss of a pool at the foot of an immense and intricately-carved pillar, with broken shards and human bones strewn about the site, it's hard not to feel both a thrill of fear and a sense of immense awe at the reverence that their creators once held for these sites.
The Mayans' above-ground achievements, like the famous pyramids of Tikal and Calakmul, may be more well known; however, their subterranean construction work is neither less impressive nor less important from an historical perspective. In fact, archaeologists consider the two as halves of the same whole; the caves and their cenote entrances served as important sources of fresh water, without which the cities themselves could never have flourished, as the Yucatan is a region remarkable devoid of rivers or conventional fresh water sources. The Mayans wisely chose to build near the few areas of potable water available to them, and likely thereafter found that the caves were as valuable from a religious and spiritual point of view as they were from a practical one. Many of these sites can be visited today by anyone who can manage a moderately taxing hike.
Many of these caves can be see by the public, although they do require some amount of physical activity to successfully navigate. You can take guided tours of many of the caves, like Belize's Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM). They're a great day-long excursion if you happen to be vacationing in the area, although the act of descending into the physical reality of the ancient Mayan underworld is awe-inspiring enough to plan a trip just to have the experience!
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