Glossary

Description of Words

Altar
Usually a round, flat stone, these may have pictures or hieroglyphs carved into them.

Archaeology
The study of the past. It often involves digging up the remains of ancient people.

Caana
The tallest set of buildings at Caracol; Caana in Maya means “sky place.” It is made up of palaces and temples.

Caches
Something hidden, usually a pottery container with special things inside, such as jadeite or carved shell.

Caracol
An ancient Maya city; it is located just south of modern Belize, in the Yucatan in Mexico. Over 1,400 years ago (A.D. 650) the city of Caracol was the home of over 100,000 people.

Excavation
Digging to uncover the remains of buildings and artifacts.

Hieroglyphs
Also known as Glyphs; these are the Maya way of writing.

Intensive Farming
Farming that takes more work, but allows farmland to be used every year.

Jadeite
A hard green stone valued by the Maya. It was often made into jewelry.

Katun
20 Maya years = 7,200 Kins(days)

Kin
A day.

Maya
People native to parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras. From archaeology we know that they were in this area by 3000 years ago (1000BC); they are still living today.

Milpa
Also called Swidden farming. A kind of farming in which the land is cleared by burning. Land cannot be used every year with this type of farming.

Palace
A building with many different rooms; these were probably the places where wealthy people and members of the royal family lived

Santa Rita Corozal
Ancient Maya capital city located in northern Belize. It reached it height approximately 500 years ago.

Stela
A tall stone, usually carved with pictures of rulers and hieroglyphs that tell about them.

Temple
A pyramid that usually has a building on top and was used primarily for religious reasons.

Terraces
Stone walls that hold soil for farming.

Tun
A Maya year = 18 Uinals or 360 Kins(days).

Uinal
A Maya month = 20 Kins (or 20 days).