Sinister secret of the Crystal cave of the virgin

The Mayans believed that caves, especially those that extend for miles under the ground, are portals to the underworld or Xibalba, "place of fear", where the masters of evil. The Mayans feared hell and believed that the need to appease the terrible gods, who lived under the earth, by means of sacrifices, including human. One of those places where people were sacrificed to the gods of the underworld, located in the center of Belize, near San Ignacio.

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Source: Amusing Planet

Aktun of the Crystal tunichil muknal, meaning "cave of the crystal maiden", also known as abbreviated as ATM, was first investigated in the late 1980-ies. The entrance to the cave is shaped like an hourglass and is flooded with water.

The remains of ceremonial sacrifices are found at the entrance. First, it's just shards.

But the more you dig, the more strange and sinister seem to be occurring artifacts.

About 400 metres from the entrance is the main hall, where 14 human skeletons, including the fossilized remains of the Crystal maiden.

Who is this crystal girl? It was a girl about 20 years old, sacrificed to the Mayan priest during a religious sacrament than a thousand years ago.

She lies on her back with her mouth open, and her whole skeleton has a polished carbon spar, formed by the decay of minerals. Because of this glitter it was called the Crystal maiden. The cave is also named in honor of her grave.

Other skeletons or hidden in the corners, or just lying in plain sight. These are the remains of different people, from toddlers to 30-year and 40-year-old adults.

Everywhere are ceramic pots, musical instruments, jewelry, small figurines and the bones of seals, which were used for bloodletting.

Many of these finds are petrified and rooted to the floor of the cave.

Maya also gave shape to the walls of the cave, creating altars for the victims or silhouettes of persons or animals.

Recent studies of the ancient climate of Mesoamerica have shown that the drought could play a major role in the decline of civilization. Scientists suggest that human sacrifices were offered to the rain God of the Shack, to stop the drought. They became more frequent in the ninth century, just before the disappearance of the Mayan civilization.

A large part of the archaeological finds in the cave of the Crystal Virgo intact, so the cave is considered the most well-preserved Mayan place of sacrifice.