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Naj Tunich Cave

Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party.

Guatemala (Latin America and the Caribbean)

Date of Submission: 23/09/2002
Criteria:
Category: Mixed
Submission prepared by:
Ministry of Culture and Sports
Coordinates:
Municipality Of Poptún, Of The Departament Of Petén.
Ref.: 1756

Description

Naj Tunich is a cave of karstic formation that was used by the old Mayan of the southeast of Petén like cult centre by what acquired of religious magic traditions. It possesses an exceptional beauty, to belong to the region fisiográfica of the Sedimentary Low Lands.

Inside Naj Tunich's cave that means in Mayan “stone house” there are cave paintings that date of the Mayan Classic period, dated for the years 300 at 900 after Christ that they represent human figures, gods, animals and hieroglyphic inscriptions.