 Go To Ruins Map |
The Belize Virtual Guide CERROS(Stop 06 of 18) |
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Go To Ruins Map |
The Belize Virtual Guide CERROS(Stop 06 of 18) |
| The Cerros Maya ("Maya Hill")
Archaeological Reserve sprawls over 53 acres atop a hill overlooking Chetumal Bay. Across the bay lies the town of Corozal. This was an important coastal trading center during the Late Preclassic Period.
This site shows virtually no additions to its structures after the Late Preclassic, indicating a very early demise in the time line of the Mayan civilization. A 1973 excavation revealed that the site underwent a transition from a small local site, to a regional interactive site based on sea-borne trade. Some of the most prominent items traded include jade and obsidian. |
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| The site includes three large acropolises which dominate several plazas bordered by pyramids. Two of these structures possess walls with two to four meter high masks. Tombs and ball courts have also been excavated. Many artifacts have been recovered which support the theory of the dominance of this site between 400 B.C. and 100 A.D. | |||
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During this period of dominance, the Cerros Maya experimented with new art forms and buildings which would eventually prove to be crucial to the development of Maya Classic Period art and architecture. The tallest temple at Cerros rises 21 meters above the plaza floor and the residences of the once ruling class is now being washed by the waters of Chetumal Bay. | ||
| Unfortunately, the site being next to the sea subjects the two largest structures to water erosion. The rate of erosion and the lack of funding for preservation has necessitated the covering of much of the artwork and carvings with plaster for preservation. | |||
| Cerro Maya's location on the shores of Chetumal Bay provides, from the site, a beautiful panorama of the surrounding region . The New River empties into the Bay southwest of the site. This river supports a variety of wildlife including water birds, crocodiles and manatee. The proximity of the New River provided an important link with the other major Mayan site of the PreClassic Period, Lamanai. |
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