MAYAN SETTLEMENTS - CARACOL

Adventurous visitors can visit the partially excavated Mayan city of Caracol, the largest Mayan ruin site in Belize.

Archeologists estimate that Caracol had 35,000 buildings, three times the buildings found in Guatemala's Tikal. The site covers five square miles. More than 150,000 people lived there. Not much is known of the city as it only started being excavated in the 1950s. It is still being worked on now and new discoveries are coming forward all the time.

From hieroglyphics found on stelae (stones) in Caracol, archaeologists believe Caracol's army defeated the army of Tikal in AD 562, and became the most powerful in the region.

Royalty, including women were buried in what were clearly royal tombs.

The name Caracol is Spanish for "snail shell" and was given because of the large numbers of snail shells found there. But no one knows the real name of the city, though some think it could have been called Oxhuitza.

Caracol timeline

1200 B.C.-250 A.D. Preclassic Small sedentary villages followed by development of monumentality and larger centers.

ca. 600-900 B.C. Earliest known habitation at Caracol.

ca. A.D. 70 Structure A6-1st, "Temple of the Wooden Lintel," constructed and consecrated; locus B34 burial; full Maya ritual complex present at Caracol.

ca. A.D. 150 Elaborate burial placed in Structure B34 locus.

A.D. 250-900 Classic "Peak" of Maya civilization; pyramids, tombs, inscriptions, widespread trade; by A.D. 800 Maya "collapse" is underway.

A.D. 331 Caracol Royal dynasty "officially" founded.

ca. A.D. 480 Unknown ruler's tomb placed in Structure D16.

A.D. 531 Accession of Lord Water's predecessor.

A.D. 537 Use of initial tomb in Structure B20-3rd.

A.D. 553 Accession of Caracol Ruler Lord Water.

A.D. 556 "Axe-Event" involving Tikal.

A.D. 562 "Star-War" defeat of Tikal by Caracol.

A.D. 575 Birth of Smoke Ahau.

A.D. 577 One of three tombs in Structure B20-2nd used.

A.D. 577 or 582 Front tomb in Structure A34 consecrated.

A.D. 588 Birth of Caracol Ruler Kan II.

A.D. 599 Accession of Caracol Lord Smoke Ahau.

A.D. 614 Tomb in Structure L3-2nd covered.

A.D. 618 Accession of Kan II.

A.D. 626-636 Naranjo wars; major expansion of Caracol follows.

A.D. 634 Woman's tomb in Structure B19-2nd closed.

A.D. 658 Accession of Caracol Ruler Smoke Skull; Death of Kan II.

A.D. 680 Naranjo's war of independence.

A.D. 696 Tomb in Structure A3-1st covered.

A.D. 702 Capture of Ixkun lord noted on Stela 21.

A.D. 800 Capture of 3 prisoners, including Ucanal lord, by Caracol Ruler Hok K'awil or his underlings.

A.D. 859 Last recorded date at Caracol on Stela 10.

A.D. 900-1500 Postclassic Most major sites located away from Classic Period centers, but near water. Sites are generally characterized by low-lying as opposed to monumental architecture.

ca. A.D. 1050 Last use of Caracol Structure A6; Caracol totally abandoned.

A.D. 1500-present "Historic" Europeans arrive in the New World; most native Maya populations disseminated by disease; others disrupted by warfare and forced population movements. Native populations still comprise over 50% of Guatemala and Yucatan.

Known rulers of Caracol

(Note that this list is not continuous, as the archaeological record is incomplete)

• 331–349: Te' Kab' Chaak
• circa 470: K'ak' Ujol K'inich I
• 484–514: Yajaw Te' K'inich I
• 531–534: K'an I
• 553–593: Yajaw Te' K'inich II
• 599–613: "Knot Lord"
• 618–658: K'an II
• 658–680: K'ak' Ujol K'inich II
• circa 700: name unknown
• mid 8th century: name unknown
• 793: Tum Yohl K'inich
• 798: K'inich Joy K'awiil
• 810–830: K'inich Toob'il Yoaat
• 835–849: K'an III
• 859: name unknown

Caracol Today

Caracol is open during the dry month with a permit from the Archeology Department in Belmopan. Most local travel agents can arrange for guided tours, as can the resorts in the Cayo District. Visitors can also go on their own

Some resorts offer trips to Caracol on horseback. There is no food, gasoline or drinking water there so visitors must pack in all they will need. Caracol is in the middle of miles of uninhabited virgin rainforest and is considered to be a great location for observing every variety of Belizean jungle creature.