Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (also known as ATM) was discovered deep in the forest of Belize, Central America in the late 1980s with many skeletons, including the skeleton of “crystal virgin”. This is where the Mayans performed many terrifying sacrifices.
The Mayans believed that caves, especially those deep underground, were connected to the underworld. The underworld inside the caves is where the gods come from.
The Maya people believed that it was necessary to perform sacrificial rituals to appease the gods or ask for their protection and support. Accordingly, the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave is one of the fearsome Mayan sacrifice sites.
At the entrance to the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, archaeologists discovered many sets of remains. These were the victims of the Mayan sacrificial rituals.
Among the skeletons discovered in the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, the most famous is the “crystal virgin” remains. It is the remains of an 18-year-old girl who was harmed more than 1,000 years ago.
The body of the “crystal virgin” had many traces: her two cervical vertebrae were crushed, the bones were calcified with a layer of glittering calcium. Therefore, her remains were named “crystal virgin”.
In addition to the “crystal virgin” remains, the archaeological team also discovered many other sets of remains ranging in age from 1 to 40 years old.
Many artifacts were found inside the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, such as pottery jars, musical instruments, jewelry, etc., used in terrifying Mayan sacrificial rituals.
The remains of the unfortunate victims who were sacrificed to the gods are scattered inside the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave.
Some objects used by the Maya in sacrificial rituals have high archaeological value.
