This was the Main Chamber of Actun Tunichil Muknal (the ATM Cave) in the jungle of western Belize, and to the Maya, this eerie, fascinating cavern was a sacred entrance to Xibalba, the Maya ...

There are hundreds of caves in Belize that served as portals to what the Maya called Xibalba—home to ancient death gods, rituals, and extraordinary relics left behind. Accessible only by kayak ...

In ancient Mayan lore, the world of the living was directly connected to the underworld: Xibalba. This belief was ... The History of the Lie Detector The Art of Video Games Follow Us Explore ...

was the path to a mythical underworld known as Xibalba. According to the Popol Vuh, an ancient Maya scripture, the route was full of obstacles, including rivers filled with scorpions and houses ...

ACHTUN TUNICHIL MUKNAL CAVE, Belize -- Xibalba was a Maya name for the underworld, home of the gods of death and disease. Caves, not the lofty pyramids left behind by the ancient Maya, were the ...

According to legend, the Chiquibul cave system was also the entrance to Xibalba, the macabre Maya underworld. The place of fright Xibalba, which translates as “the place of fright”, was home ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Bressan is a geologist who covers curiosities about Earth. In Mayan mythology, caves and sinkholes were the gates to the ...