Altun Ha

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Altun Ha was an important trading and religious ceremonial center. The Temple of the Masonry Altars is Altun Ha’s largest temple where a priceless piece of history in the form of a 15-centimeter high, jade head of the Maya Sun God, Kinich Ahau, was found by archaeologists. Altun Ha “Rockstone Pond” archeologists believe was first settled somewhere around 250 BC, but construction of the buildings began circa 100 AD and continued throughout the late classic period. Some 10,000 Mayas lived in and around Altun Ha, which was a major trading center as evidence shows by the large amounts of jade and obsidian excavated here in the early sixties and seventies. The larger of the two plazas, Plaza A, is the site of a mysterious tomb discovered beneath one of the temples called Temple of the Green Tomb. Jade, jewelry, flint and skins are among the three hundred remnants that were unearthed here. Altun Ha is located about 30 miles north of Belize City. The site covers an area of about 5 square miles. The ancient site did not come to the attention of archeologists until 1963. The tallest structure at Altun Ha is the “Temple of the Masonry Altars”, which is 54 feet high. There is a drawing of this structure on the logo of Belize’s Belikin beer. The archeological site center covers about one square mile of area, with at least 500 visible structures.