Caracal: Belize's Tallest Building

The Caracol Mayan Ruins in Belize are home to Caana, the tallest building in the country. Also known as the Sky Palace, this massive pyramid rises to a height of 141 feet (43 meters) above the jungle floor. It is located within the largest known Maya Ruin in Belize, which covers an area of 65-75 square miles and was once home to a large and powerful community of 100,000-180,000 people.

The height of the Caana building

The Caana building, also known as the Sky Palace, is the largest building at Caracol and the tallest man-made structure in Belize. It stands at 43 metres (141 feet) tall and contains four palaces and three temples. The palace rooms were originally coated with white stucco and decorated with red paint.

The Sky Palace is one of the most famous attractions at Caracol, an ancient Maya archaeological site in Belize. Caracol was once the largest Maya city ever excavated in Belize, covering an area of 65-75 square miles and housing a population of over 100,000 people. The site was first reported in 1937 by a native logger named Rosa Mai and was named by the archaeological commissioner A. Hamilton Anderson in 1938.

The ancient Maya geopolitical world

The Maya world was divided into three sub-areas, each with distinct environmental and cultural differences: the northern Maya lowlands on the Yucatan Peninsula; the southern lowlands in the Peten district of northern Guatemala and adjacent portions of Mexico, Belize and western Honduras; and the southern Maya highlands in the mountainous region of southern Guatemala.

The Maya cities were variously allied or fighting against each other. Caracol, for example, was a rival of Naranjo and Tikal, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site in neighbouring Guatemala. Caracol's victory over Tikal in 562 AD is recorded in hieroglyphics and stelae. Caracol also defeated Naranjo, and K'an II, the Caracol ruler, expanded the causeway system and oversaw an increase in the site's population.

The Maya political landscape was highly complex, with Maya elites engaging in political intrigue to gain economic and social advantage over their neighbours. Some cities established long periods of dominance over others, and in other cases, loose alliance networks were formed around a dominant city. Border settlements often switched allegiance and at times acted independently. Dominant capitals exacted tribute in the form of luxury items from subjugated population centres.

The Maya political system was centred on the concept of the "divine king", who mediated between mortals and the supernatural realm. Kingship was usually patrilineal, and power was passed to the eldest son. A prospective king was expected to be a successful war leader. The divine authority invested within the ruler was such that the king could mobilise both the aristocracy and commoners to execute huge infrastructure projects.

The Maya had no standing army, but warriors were mustered by local officials who reported back to appointed war leaders. Warfare was a driving force of cultural change, and one of the main goals may have been to acquire sacrificial victims. Warfare is alluded to in the mythology of the Popol Vuh, which describes sacrifice through decapitation.

The site's remote location

The remote location of Caracol in the foothills of the Maya Mountains in southwest Belize makes it difficult to perform large-scale archaeological work. The site is located within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve and is surrounded by both primary and secondary tropical rainforest. The site is approximately 25 miles south of San Ignacio in the western Cayo District of Belize. The only road to the site is paved for the last 16 km and leads to the Western Highway between San Ignacio and Belmopan and to Santa Elena.

The remote location of Caracol has also meant that much of the site is still awaiting further excavation. A 2009 aerial survey was used to create a 3D map of the city, including large sections of causeway and agricultural terraces that still lie buried in the jungle.

The city's abandonment

Caracol, the largest Mayan city ever excavated in Belize, was abandoned around the year 1050 CE. This date marks the end of the Terminal Classic period, which saw the widespread collapse of Maya civilisation in the area.

The reasons for Caracol's abandonment are unknown, but it is thought that the city's population had already begun to decline by 800 CE, during the Maya classic period. This date also marks the beginning of an epigraphic hiatus, during which there is a lack of hieroglyphic texts.

The last recorded date at Caracol is 859 CE, on Stela 10. Caana, the tallest structure in Belize, was abandoned around 900 CE, and the final abandonment of the site occurred in 1050 CE, with the desertion of Structure A6.

The decline of Caracol may be attributed to a combination of factors, including political instability, warfare, and environmental changes. The city's fall coincides with the rise of other city-states in the region, such as Naranjo, which gained independence from Caracol in 680 CE through a star war.

Additionally, the Maya civilisation as a whole was facing a period of upheaval, with the Classic Maya Collapse resulting in the abandonment of many cities and a significant decrease in population across the region.

The exact causes of the Classic Maya Collapse are still debated by scholars, but it is thought to have been caused by a complex interplay of various factors, including climate change, drought, overpopulation, and environmental degradation.

Whatever the specific reasons for its abandonment, Caracol's decline stands as a testament to the fragility of even the most powerful civilisations. The once-thriving city, with its majestic temples and sophisticated infrastructure, gradually fell into ruin, eventually being reclaimed by the jungle until its rediscovery in the 20th century.

The site's re-discovery

The site's rediscovery began in 1937 when a native logger named Rosa Mai stumbled upon its remains while searching for mahogany trees. Mai reported the site to the archaeological commission for British Honduras (now Belize). In 1938, the archaeological commissioner, A. Hamilton Anderson, visited the site for two weeks, giving it the name Caracol, which means "snail shell" in Spanish and refers to the winding access road that led to the site.

During his visit, Anderson conducted preliminary surveys, noted nine carved monuments, took notes on the structures of the A-Group Plaza, and undertook limited excavations in two locations. He later returned to Caracol to excavate in the A-Group and South Acropolis. In 1950, Linton Satterthwaite of the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology began more extensive explorations and documentation of the site, focusing primarily on finding and documenting monuments. Satterthwaite removed several stelae and altars, created a map of the central part of the site, excavated several tombs, and recorded the site's known stone monuments.

In the early 1980s, Paul F. Healy of Trent University investigated Caracol's core area, recording several architectural groups and noting the extensive terrace systems and high population density for the surrounding area. Since 1985, the Caracol Archaeological Project, directed by Arlen and Diane Chase of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has been ongoing. The project has involved researching different sections of the site, investigating settlement patterns, and using LiDAR technology to map the area and uncover new findings.

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