Naj Tunich
Guatemala · Americas
A sacred Maya cave whose deep galleries hold elegant painted figures and one of the finest hieroglyphic corpora.
Age
~1,300 yrs
Period
Maya Classic
Setting
Cave
Art form
Paintings
Discovered
1979
Status
Closed (Research Access Only)
Deep in the Petén of Guatemala, Naj Tunich was a Classic Maya pilgrimage cave. Its walls carry refined black-line paintings of ballplayers, deities and ritual scenes together with long hieroglyphic texts. Damaged by vandalism in 1989, the original is now closed and studied through detailed records.
Notable Features
- ◦ Refined Classic Maya cave paintings
- ◦ Extensive hieroglyphic texts
- ◦ A sacred pilgrimage cave
Depicted Subjects
Maya HieroglyphsAnthropomorphsRitual Symbols
Plan a Visit
AccessClosed to the public.
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.