MayaMayan
Lamanai boasted immense temples long before other sites did. At more than 33 meters high, "El Castillo" (Structure N10-43) is one of the largest Pre-Classic Maya structures and the largest in Belize. Visitors can see Mexico and Guatemala from the top. (Photo from "Exploring the Lost Maya," CD-ROM by Sumeria, 1996.)
LAMANAI (lah-mah-NAHEE) is a well-known Maya site in Belize. Its buildings are primarily representative of the Early Classic and Late Classic periods. Lamanai is located in dense rain forest along the west side of New River Lagoon in northern Belize. Although much of the rain forest in the area has been destroyed for timber and now sugar cane fields, Lamanai lies within the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area where native flora and fauna is protected. Consequently, wildlife is thriving and the area has become popular with birders and other wildlife enthusiasts. For instance there are, to name a few: 400 species of birds, 80 different species of bats, 200 varieties of trees,  and 250 different orchids, and several types of noisy Howler Monkeys.
Welcome to the lagoon!
Lamanai means "SUBMERGED CROCODILE," and is the site's original name. It's also known locally and on older maps as "Indian Church" because of the two Christian churches built by the Spanish in the 16th century.
LAMANAI HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY MAYA-OCCUPIED FOR OVER 3,000 YEARS. Pollen dating shows inhabitation as early as 1500 BC. Ceramics have been dated back to about 500 BC. Lamanai's impressive longevity can be compared to those of Copan (Honduras) and Kaminaljuyu (Guatemala).
LAMANAI WAS AN IMPORTANT CEREMONIAL CENTER AND IMPERIAL PORT. There are over 700 mapped structures, Many have not been excavated including several more temples over 100 ft. high.
STRUCTURE N10-27 & STELA 9
This temple-pyramid has been excavated but not consolidated. On the first day of the 1983 season, the top half of Stela 9 was found face down on the stairs. The upper half was at the top of the stairs in situ. The upper half has been turned face up with a thatch shelter to protect it. The glyphs date to AD 625 and there is a depiction of Lord Smoking Shell.
STRUCTURE N10-9 "Jaguar Temple"rises in 9 tiers to about 65 ft. and on the north side is a wide basal stairway. Next to the stairway on the lower level is a mask of a jaguar with a protruding nose.
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This map has been drawn to give a general idea of Lamanai's layout, and is not based on any exact scale. Visitors arriving by boat, will dock near the southern end of the reserve and may take the path that leads north to Structure N9-56. (Map drawn by M. Monts from several sources.)
BALL COURT  This Ball Court is
the only one found at Lamanai. It dates to AD 900-950. There is a circular stone center marker and offerings found beneath it by
David Pendergast included ceramics, and 9.7 cu. cm of mercury that probably came from Honduras. It was the first reported discovery of mercury in the Maya lowlands.

STONE MONUMENT / ALTAR South of the ball court and to the west are the remains of a carved stone monument. At the center are three rows of glyphs, and at each end, seated figures in profile face the glyphs and each other.
HIGHLIGHTS
STRUCTURE N10-43
"El Castillo" (see photo at top) This is the largest Pre-Classic structure in Belize with a height of 108' from the plaza floor. It was first built in 100 AD establishing its full height and its final modification was to the front in AD 600-700. The stairway on the south (front) side has been partially consolidated. At the top of the stairway a trail continues to the top for a spectacular view that extends into Guatemala and Mexico.
Lamanai Ceramic Bowl
LAMANAI MUSEUM
The Lamanai Museum is on the site at the southern docking area. The ceremonial plate at the left is part of their collection.
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STRUCTURE N9-56 "Temple of the Masks" Early Classic and Late Classic Periods with final phase of construction AD 550-650. This west-facing structure is
decorated with two masks that date to the late 5th or early 6th century. The mask to the right (south) of the stairway on the lower level is 15' tall with a human head and crocodile headdress. The upper level mask's face was broken during construction. They are made of stone with an unusual thin grey stucco coating.

STELA 1 (pron. STEEL-a) (photo on right) lies in front of Structure N9-56 on its back and is protected with a
thatch shelter. It dates to around AD 625 and a standing figure in elaborate dress can still be seen.

English Occupation Sugar Mill 1868-1893.
RESIDENTIAL AREA PLAZAS
2, 3, 4, AND STELA 2
Residential structures dating from the late 9th century to the Postclassic period. Some buildings are consolidated, but the rest are platforms and stairs from different periods. Around AD1025 these buildings were torn down and used to fill courtyards to make a single platform with a depth of 8 ft. The dating of offerings in the fill indicate that this project took most of a century. Stela  2 is badly eroded.
COLONIAL CHURCHES. In 1570, Catholic missionaries arrived to build a church for converting the Mayas. Word has it that the Spanish tore down one of the Maya structures and used the foundation to build the church. The Maya weren't happy and burned the church down, A seond church was built by apostate indians
fancy ironwork was imported from New Orleans in 1868. (The date stamped into the flywheel is 1859.) The Mill was abandoned in 1893.
19th century Sugar Mill located southwest of the "Jaguar Temple" (Structure N10-9). (Photo by Aric Monts-Homkey)
Lamanai Stela 1 Glyphs. (Photo by Aric Monts-Homkey)
Late Classic Ceremonial Plate. Incising and Red Slip. Lamanai Museum.
(Photo by Aric Monts-Homkey)
Last updated 6/10/2007
CHAAK
Incense
Burner from
Mayapan.
(Photo by
Irmgard Groth)
SUGAR MILL. (right) The first sight of this relic of England's occupation during the Industrial Revolution is startling and eerie. The large brick and ironwork building  with its flywheel, boiler, and sunken bricklaid reservoir still in tact seems out of place in its jungle surroundings. The