In 2015, Braswell and others excavated the jade pendant— as well as pottery and a couple of teeth— in a tomb that dates to around the year 800 A.D and is located in a place called Nim Li Punit in the south of Belize. According to Braswell, in the year 672, the jade pendant was used for the first time in a ritual focused on summoning wind and rain, which was essential for Mayan crops. Eventually, the precious artifact—which “had immense power and magic,” Braswell said— was buried.
Measuring over seven inches across, about four inches high, and just over a quarter inch thick, the jade pendant is the second-biggest of its kind to be found in Belize. On one side are the hieroglyphs, and on the other, a T-shape. That T, according to the statement on the find, is a glyph known as “ik,” meaning “wind and breath.” |
eWhat is the Best Way to Experience Nim Li Punit?
For national monuments (such as Nim Li Punit), the Belize Government requires that you be accompanied by a licensed-trained tour guide. This is not only for your safety, but the governments way of protecting their historical monuments. What is the Best Way to Get There?
Travel the Southern Highway north 25 miles from Punta Gorda, or start your trip in Belmopan and drive 45 miles along the Hummingbird Highway to the Southern Highway exit, then another 50 miles to reach Indian Creek Village. That stated, the very best way to visit Nim Li Punit is to book a tour with your resort hosts so all of these details are sorted by the experts. |
When is the Best Time to Visit?
See Nim Li Punit any time you like since so much Mayan history is housed within the two buildings. At the site itself, the right footwear and a light poncho may be all you need to tour the compound if it rains. Where in Nim Li Punit located in Belize?
From Belmopan, take the Hummingbird Highway for 45 miles until you reach the Southern Highway Exit. Turn right onto the Southern Highway and travel an additional 50 miles (1 ½ hours) until you reach Indian Creek Village. Exit to the right on the gravel road and continue for about 1/2 mile until you reach the reserve. |
Nim Li Punit Mayan Ruins
From the City Of Belmopan, take the Hummingbird Highway for 45 miles until you reach the Southern Highway Exit. Turn right onto the Southern Highway and travel an additional 50 miles (about 1 ½ hours) until you reach Indian Creek Village. Exit to the right on the gravel road and continue for about half a mile until you reach the reserve.
Located in the Toledo District of Belize, the name Nim Li Punit is derived from a carving on one of the site’s twenty six stelae, which depicts a figure wearing a large headdress. In the Maya Kekchi language, Nim li Punit means “the big hat.” The monument on which this carving appears is the longest stela in Belize (Stela 14), originally located in an area called Plaza of the Stelae. These ruins over look the Toledo coastal plain, milpas and rain forest. Having only one main plaza, one pyramid, one ball court and a few moderately sized buildings, Nim Li Punit fall is smaller compared to masterpieces found in other areas. But it has a large number of stelae; twenty-five large, often huge, stone slabs and pillars, eight of them carved, populate this small area. In fact, one of the stela is the tallest carved example in Belize. Due to this curiosity, Nim Li Punit is believed to have served as its dynasty’s worshiping place. The second largest jade object in all the Maya World is a jade chest pendant discovered at Nim Li Punit in 2015 (the largest the Kinich Ahau sun god was also discovered in Belize). The interpretation on the back so far is this: The jewel was made for the king Janaab’ Ohl K’inich, and the hieroglyphs describe the king’s parentage. “His mother, the text implies, was from Cahal Pech while the king’s father may have come from somewhere in Guatemala. |
Facts About Nim Li Punit
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