Xunantunich

Xunantunich ('Stone Woman' in Yucatec Maya) is a Classic Maya ceremonial center in western Belize that rose to prominence between 700-1000 AD. Its centerpiece, El Castillo, stands 40 meters tall -- the second tallest structure in Belize -- with large stucco friezes depicting astronomical symbols, the sun god, moon, and Venus. The site comprises six plazas surrounded by over 26 temples and palaces. In 2016, archaeologists discovered the largest Maya royal tomb found at the site, containing a young man buried with jade beads, obsidian blades, and hieroglyphic panels linked to the powerful Snake Dynasty and Lord Kan II's 642 AD conquest of Naranjo.