This jungle cave, which was discovered in 1989, is located in the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve. To get there, take an hour’s ride from San Ignacio, Belize, and then walk through the jungle and across shallow rivers for an additional hour. At this point, the Actun Tunichil Muknal, or “ATM,” cave mouth, is reached. One must swim into the cave and then wade up the cave river for an additional kilometer in order to enter the cave.
The skeletons of the ceremonial sacrifices the Maya made to their gods more than a thousand years ago can be found at the back of the cave system by walking another kilometer and a half through the cave, past massive boulders and large rooms, one of which is called “The Cathedral.”
The age range of the skeletons is one year to adulthood. Four of those sacrificed are young children, some of whom were crammed into small adjacent caves and cracks. They range in age from one to three. There’s a fifteen-year-old (who looks like she was bound before she was killed), a twenty-year-old, and a large number of adults between the ages of thirty and forty-five. Numerous younger skeletons exhibit “skull shaping,” or cranial deformation, which gives the heads of these individuals an oddly elongated appearance.
The majority of them died from blunt head trauma; some had their entire skulls crushed. The majority of the pottery discovered at the site dates from between 700 and 900 AD, which is probably the time when bodies discovered here were sacrificed, even though it is challenging to date skeletons precisely because they are essentially cemented to the cave floor by calcite.
Most famous of these long-dead Maya is probably the skeleton of a 17-year-old boy known as “The Crystal Maiden,” which is located farther into the cave. Although the owner of the skeleton was first thought to be female (due to its small size and slight frame), closer inspection of the bones has revealed features that suggest they were male. (There are reports that certain tour guides call it “The Crystal Prince.”)
The positioning of the skeleton and the fact that two vertebrae are crushed make it unique. The person’s body has been lying on the ground for at least the past 1,100 years, and researchers think that before being hurled or tossed, this person may have died in a particularly violent way. Because the skeleton has been there for so long, the bones have completely calcified, giving them a sparkling, slightly plump appearance that gave rise to the nickname “crystalline.”
Related Topic You Might Find Interesting:
- Xin Zhui And The Story Of The Stunningly Intact Lady Dai Mummy
- Top 10 Greatest and shocking Archaeological Discoveries of All Time
- 13-year-old dog missing for two months found alive in a cave.
The purpose of the sacrifices is unknown, but some people think it was to placate the gods of the underworld or the rain god Chac. Another theory holds that these were believed to be witches (possibly suffering from some kind of mental or physical ailments) and that leaving them unburied in the cave would ensure that their spirits were trapped there.
Additional artifacts discovered within the cave comprise of ceramics bearing “kill holes” and Maya-carved animal and facial silhouettes. Amblypygi, or “whip spiders,” and other predatory spiders can also be found in the cave.
Very little has been taken from the cave since it was discovered, largely because of its inaccessibility and the calcification process that has preserved many of the relics exactly as they were left. (A few items were taken early on.)
Translating to “Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre,” Actun Tunichil Muknal is also called “Xibalba” by the locals, who named it after the Mayan underworld. Traditionally, the Crystal Cave was thought to be a portal to hell, a large crack in the ground that was home to scorpions and rivers of blood. This was the underground court of the Lords of Xibalba, home to the Mayan death gods. These twelve gods, often called “demons,” went by titles like “Skull Staff” and “Stabbing Demon,” and they plagued people with a variety of ailments like pain, illness, and terror.
Only a select few tour guides are authorized to lead tours of ATM Cave, one of the few protected areas in all of Belize. Be very careful, however, as none of the skeletons or pottery are roped off, and one tourist has already accidentally stepped on and broken one of the skulls.
The actions of a 7-year-old girl protected her mother from bullets
A 7-year-old girl jumped in front of her mother to save her from a man who was attempting to kill her in 2007. She was shot six times and survived, as well as saving her mother.
Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first ultra-accessible amusement park
Gordon Hartman was heartbroken when his special needs daughter, Morgan, was rejected by a group of children playing by the hotel poolside. He then set out to build a place where all children can play together. This led to the development of the world’s first ultra-accessible amusement park, Morgan’s Wonderland
The Inspiring Journey of Francis Tsai, Marvel Comics artist diagnosed with ALS
Francis Tsai, an American illustrator and conceptual artist who worked for Marvel Comics, was diagnosed with ALS in 2010. After he lost the ability to move his hands and arms, he started painting digitally on his cellphone with his right big toe. After he could not move his feet anymore, he began using eye-gaze technology to keep drawing.
Woman had no idea she had an identical twin until she saw a 'lookalike' on YouTube
When Anais Bordier saw a YouTube video of Samantha Futerman, who looked exactly like her, she messaged her on Facebook and discovered they were both adopted and born on the same day. They were identical twins who had been separated at birth and had found each other by chance and on social media.
New York installs first offshore wind turbine to power 70,000 homes
New York State has achieved a historic milestone in its clean energy transition by installing the first wind turbine at its first offshore wind farm, South Fork Win.
'Super obedient' lookout parrot trained by Brazilian drug dealers is seized by police
In 2019, police in Brazil seized a 'super obedient' lookout parrot trained by drug dealers. According to reports, the bird had been taught to alert criminals to police operations by shouting: "Mum, the police!" As soon as the police got close, he started shouting.
Woman survives skydiving accident, discovers she's pregnant
2005, a woman performing her first solo skydive jump survived a parachute malfunction which caused her to slam face first into a parking lot at 50 MPH. During surgery doctors discovered she was pregnant. She made a full recovery and the baby was fine.
The Man Who Kept a “Gold” Rock for Years—Only to Discover It Was a 4.6-Billion-Year-Old Meteorite Worth a Fortune
A man cherished a heavy 17-kilogram rock for years, believing it to be solid gold. The surprising twist? Experts later revealed it was a rare, 4.6-billion-year-old iron meteorite—an ancient cosmic relic worth far more than gold. Dive into the fascinating story of this celestial treasure and what makes it so valuable.
China Weather Control on 2008 Olympics with missile
One thing is certain: when it comes to ensuring nice weather for the world's largest party, the Chinese cannot be accused of being subtle. The Chinese government authorized the use of 1,104 cloud seeding missile launches from 4:00-11:39 p.m. on Friday night to reduce the possibility of rain ahead of the 29th Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing
Mystery of 300-year-old mummified mermaid is being probed
There is a 300-year-old mummified mermaid with 30 centimetres tall and features a human-like head, two hands with what appear to be fingernails, and its lower body that look like a fish tail. The “mermaid mummy” is being probed by Japanese scientists in an attempt to unravel the mystery of its existence.
Man uses first-class ticket to eat for free at airport's VIP lounge for almost a year
A Chinese man purchased a First Class Ticket, which included admission to a VIP Lounge with free food. Over the course of a year, he rescheduled over 300 times in order to receive over 300 free dinners. When questioned, it was discovered that he is rescheduling his reservation to another date after eating. He eventually cancelled the ticket and got a full refund.
From Ocean Trash to Trendy Kicks: Adidas Sells 1 Million Eco-Friendly Shoes Made from Plastic Bottles
Adidas has sold over 1 million eco-friendly shoes made from ocean plastic. Each pair reuses the equivalent of 11 plastic bottles
The Man Who Survived Falling Through a Thunderstorm, William Rankin
William Rankin was a fighter pilot who survived an ejection into a thunderstorm. He suffered frostbite, violent wind and lightning, severe decompression, and nearly drowned from breathing in rain water. He was in the cloud for over 40 minutes in total.
A U.S. Submarine Collides with a Japanese Fishing Ship in 2001
In 1998, 14-year-old Michael Crowe was charged with the murder of his sister. The police started targeting him after he seemed “distant and preoccupied” when his sister’s body was discovered, and during interrogation, police coercion led him to make a false confession. He was later declared factually innocent and the family won a lawsuit of $7.25 million in 2011.
How Magic Johnson Missed Out On $7 Billion Nike deal
Magic Johnson turned down a deal with Nike in 1979 that offered him 100,000 shares of stock and $1 for every pair of shoes sold. Instead, he chose Converse, which offered him $100,000 per year. Johnson lost about $5 billion by declining the Nike deal.
Mom hears son's heartbeat 3 years after his death when she meets organ recipient
She agreed to donate her son's organs after his sudden death in June 2013 at the age of 7 months. The grieving mother was able to listen to her late son’s heart beating inside the little girl who received the organ after his death.
Australian man dies, comes back to life, and wins the lottery twice
Bill Morgan, an Australian, is a man who has beat the odds. He escaped death by surviving a horrific automobile accident and heart attack before collapsing into a coma and going on to win the lotto twice. He went from losing virtually everything to winning far more than he could have imagined.
The accidentally discovery of Riace bronzes
Stefano Mariottini was snorkeling off the coast of Monasterace near Riace in 1972 when he noticed a human hand sticking out of the sand and called the police, thinking it was a corpse. It was actually two statues of "Warriors from Riace" - 5th century BC Greek bronze statues.
People are freaked out because they keep finding 'help me' messages under the cap of Sobe bottles
With their bottle caps that said, "Help me, I'm trapped in SoBe factory," SoBe Beverage discovered the hard way that forced labor is serious business. This is an example of when humor can be overdone.
A story of a man Survived Inside Sunken Ship For Three Days
A man survived a sunken ship for nearly three days, 279 feet underwater and in complete darkness, while listening to fish eat the bodies of his shipmates.
ILOVEYOU Virus, the worst computer virus of all time
The ILOVEYOU Virus, also known as Love Letter for You or Love Bug, had a high infection rate due to its ability to spread itself by copying entries from users' email address books. It is a virus that was created in 2000 by a college student in Manilla, Philippines, and was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the worst computer virus of all time, causing more damage than anything before it.
Megamouth Shark And Her Babies Found Dead In The Philippines
Filipino zoologists have recorded a pregnant megamouth shark for the first time ever since the rare aquatic specie was discovered in 1974.
Restaurant owner offers burglar a job rather than filing charges
On April 13, 2021, Diablo’s Southwest Grill was robbed, but instead of pressing charges, owner Carl Wallace decided to offer the burglar a job in his business and said “There are better opportunities out there than this path you’ve chosen,”.
Beyoncé and Jay-Z's Hospital Security Blocked NICU Access for Father of Premature Twins
A father was denied access to see his premature twins in the NICU when Beyonce and Jay-Z had their daughter at the same time.
How Being Bugs Bunny Helped This Voice Actor Out of Coma
Mel Blanc; the voice of Bugs Bunny, had been in a serious car accident that put him in a coma. After many unsuccessful attempts to get him to talk, a doctor asked “Bugs, can you hear me” Mel responded in the voice of bugs bunny, “Whats up, Doc? The doctors used this to lead him out of his coma.
