trekking to the cave entrance
Hurricane Richard was here
Belizian Pirahna
Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave Entrance
We're going in - a short swim into the cave
The first chamber we can stand up in
Massive flow formations
Huge curtains
into the next chamber
Sometimes not an easy passage fighting the current
staying in shallow water
Definitely a live cave
wading through an open section
through a few of the narrower passages...
into one the more beatiful rooms
Huge Skirts
Complex flows
lots of flows
huge curtains
nice stalactites
the final push to the ceremonial chamber
Massive room covered with huge formations
No rails or paths - only caution and respect
There were many different types of columns
We begin to see evidence of the Mayans - pottery
Hundreds of pots placed throughout the cavern
There is evidence that some of these skeletons were sacrifices
The Maya were known for there advanced pottery
The original researchers decided to leave all the pots in place
further evidence of sacrifices
time to start back out
No trails or aids
back into the narrow passages
in and out of the water
over the waterfall and into the deep water
and deeper water
and narrower passages
and back out from Xibalba - The Mayan underworld
