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.
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.
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.
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.
A Pilot Survived 20 Minutes Outside A Flying Jet
In 1990, the captain of flight 5390 Timothy Lancaster got sucked out of his own plane when the window of the plane fell off. The crew held the captain’s leg for 30 minutes while the plane performed emergency landing. Everyone survived.
The incredible story of a plane that lost its roof in mid-flight and the light signal that saved 94 lives.
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines flight 243 was on the way to Honolulu from Hilo when a huge portion of the upper part of the fuselage blew off the airplane.
Whang-od Oggay, The legendary tattoo artist from the Philippines
This is Whang-od Oggay, a 106-year-old tattoo artist from the Philippines. She is often described as the last and oldest Kalinga tattoo artist, and has been performing the traditional art of hand-tapped tattoos since the age of 15
Couple reunites after 60 years apart
A Russian couple were reunited after being separated for 60 years. They were married for 3 days when the husband left to join the Red Army. They were unable to find each other until 60 years later when they randomly visited their hometown on the same day.
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's Blood Helped Save Millions of Babies
Australian blood donor James Harrison has been one of our most impressive and valued donors, having donated for 60 years. Know his story, how he was a pioneer of our Anti-D program, and why this matters.
The Terrifying Mount St. Helens Eruption is Captured by the Robert Landsburg Photographs
Robert Landsburg, a photographer who upon realisation that he is going to die in the mount St. Helens eruption of 1980 lay down on top if his equipment to preserve the photographs he had taken of the events. Landsburg‘s body was found 17 days later, buried in ash with his film intact.
Kipekee, the world's only spotless giraffe, was born at Brights Zoo
The world's only spotless giraffe was born at a zoo in the United States. The giraffe born without spots on July 31 is the only one of her kind on Earth.
The beauty and uniqueness of Fukang Meteorite
This Fukang meteorite is around 4.5 billion years old and weighs more than 2,000 pounds. It was discovered in China in 2014 and is assumed to have formed when our solar system initially formed.
How 'Brad's Drink' Became Pepsi-Cola
Pepsi was first introduced as “Brad’s Drink” in New Bern, North Carolina, United States, in 1893 by Caleb Bradham, who made it at his drugstore where the drink was sold. It was renamed Pepsi Cola in 1898, named after the digestive enzyme pepsin and kola nuts used in the recipe.
A subway in Chongqing passes through a building (images)
A train has been constructed through an apartment complex in Chongqing, China. The 19-story residential structure is not only passed by the light rail passenger train, but it also serves as a transit stop. Apartment residents can simply get a ride from the sixth to eighth levels.
Elvita Adams jumps from the Empire State Building and amazingly survived
Elvita Adams once tried to commit suicide by jumping off the empire state building. She Jumped from the 86th floor but was blown back to 85th floor by a strong gust of wind.
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.
Neerja Bhanot, the braveheart flight attendant was never run away from a crisis
Neeja Bhanot, a 22 year old Indian flight attendant who helped hides 41 American passports aboard a hijacked plane. She died shielding three children from gunfire and was posthumously awarded bravery medals from India, Pakistan, and the United States.
Photos: This man sold everything 45 years ago to buy a bike and travel 6,000 miles from India to Sweden to see his love.
An Indian man traveled from India to Sweden on a bicycle to meet his Swedish wife in 1978. The journey took him 4 months and through eight countries.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Kenyan Innovator Creates Smart Gloves That Translate Sign Language Into Audible Speech
In 2023, a Kenyan inventor Roy Allela invented smart gloves that can convert sign language movements into audio speech, for his six years old niece who was born deaf.
Billy Ray Harris: A Story of Kindness and Honesty
In 2013, a homeless man named Billy Ray Harris discovered a $4,000 engagement ring in this cup. A woman had dropped while giving him some change. He returned the ring to her two days later. To thank him for his honesty, she set up a fund with the goal of raising $4,000 for him. It earned more than $185,000.
Toddler Calls 911 Accidentally and Saves Dad's Life
A father from Florida collapsed on the floor during a medical episode. Fortunately, his toddler son dialed 911 by accident and saved his life. An officer from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office arrived quickly and administered first aid before transporting him to a nearby hospital.
