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font-weight: 700"> <font face="Georgia" size="6">THE CAVES OF LOL-TÚN</font></span></b><span lang="en-us"><font color="#B0974F" face="Times New Roman" size="3">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </font> <font color="#B0974F" face="Times New Roman"><b> <a target="_blank" href="../../Printer%20friendly%20versions/Caves%20of%20Lol-Tun%20-%20The%20Puuc%20Route.doc"> <u><font color="#B0974F" size="2">Printer friendly version</font></u></a></b></font></span></td> <td width="150" height="37" valign="top"> &nbsp;</td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" colspan="2" align="left"> <table border="0" width="89%" id="table1" cellspacing="0"> <!-- MSTableType="nolayout" --> <tr> <td width="44" rowspan="7">&nbsp;</td> <td width="476" rowspan="7" valign="top" style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt" class="MsoNormal" align="justify"> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="color: black"> <font face="Arial" size="3">These caverns, whose name comes from the Maya  Lol - Flower and  Tún - Stone, are the largest known from the huge cave system that covers a great territory in southern </font> <font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <a target="_blank" href="YucatanPeninsula.html"> <font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial">Yucatán</font></a></font><font face="Arial" size="3">. They are located within the Puuc hills of Yucatán and are open to the public and have been arranged for a safe tour that comprises approximately 0.62 miles long in its interior by means of illuminated paths. In addition to being a fabulous natural phenomenon, Lol-Tún is an important archeological site. These caves contain evidence of humans earliest presence in </font> <font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <a target="_blank" href="YucatanPeninsula.html"> <font size="3" color="#0000FF" face="Arial">Yucatán</font></a><font face="Arial" size="3">. Researchers have found a collection of bones belonging to extinct mammals, including mammoths, dated from 9000 - 7500 BC. Early pre classic ceramics (2000 - 1250 BC) have also been discovered here. The most important archeological find is the relief called &quot;the Warrior,&quot; which is just outside the entrance. Researchers believe that it was carved in the Izapan style of Kaminaljuyu, the enormous pre classic site near Guatemala City.</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="en-us"> <font size="3" face="Arial">The massive interconnecting caverns are visited on occasion by bus loads of tourists visiting the nearby ruins of </font> <font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> <a target="_blank" href="YucatanUxmalThePuucRoute.html"> <font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial">Uxmal</font></a></font><font size="3" face="Arial">, </font> <font size="3" face="Times New Roman"> <a target="_blank" href="YucatanLabnaThePuucRoute.html"> <font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial">Labná</font></a><font size="3" face="Arial">, </font> <a target="_blank" href="YucatanSayilThePuucRoute.html"> <font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial">Sayil</font></a><font size="3" face="Arial">, and other sites in </font> <a target="_blank" href="YucatanThePuucRoute.html"> <font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial">The Puuc route</font></a><font size="3" face="Arial">. However, few realize the importance of this set of caves in the prehistory of México. Lol-Tún has given archeologists some of the earliest evidence of humans in the New World. The caves were used as butchery for Ice Age fauna during the Paleo-Indian Period of Mesoamerican prehistory.</font></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="color: black"> <font face="Arial" size="3">Here, the visitor can learn the natural and cultural history of the Northern Maya lowlands within a 10,000 years period, from late Pleistocene to contemporary times. In one of its cavities, locally known as &quot;Huechil&quot; (from the Maya &quot;Huech&quot;: Armadillo), archeological excavations were carried out and in one of its lowest levels extinct animal remains were found: Mammoth, bison, feline and other animals bones, indicating a colder climate period with a different environment to that of the present. Man made stone tools appeared in a superior level, probably produced by the first Peninsula&#39; inhabitants.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="color: black"> <font face="Arial" size="3">Other material remains have been found in this and other parts of the cave including pottery, marine shells, stone artifacts, bas-relief carvings, petrogliphs and mural paintings corresponding to the distinct development stages of the Maya Culture. From the Formative period (600 BC - 150 AD) stands out the bas-relief carving known as &quot;The Lol-Tún warrior&quot; located at the entrance of the caves, presenting inherited traits from ancient Olmecs. Many of the archeological finds of prehistoric cave drawings are similar to these that were left on the nearby ruins of </font> <font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <a target="_blank" href="YucatanUxmalThePuucRoute.html"> <font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial">Uxmal</font></a></font><font face="Arial" size="3">, dating to the late Classic Period. But the hand outlines at Lol-Tún may be centuries older.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="color: black"> <font face="Arial" size="3">From Classic (150 - 900 AD) and Post Classic (900 AD to 16<sup>th</sup> century) can be observed cultural features such as mural paintings representing hands, faces, animals, geometric motifs and inscriptions; &quot;Haltunes&quot; or artificial containers carved in the rock for gathering natural dripping water as well as many petrogliphs, standing out those with flower motifs, which give the name to the cavern. There are also 19<sup>th</sup> century barricades constructed by rebel Mayas who sheltered in these and other southern </font> <font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> <a target="_blank" href="YucatanPeninsula.html"> <font color="#0000FF" size="3" face="Arial">Yucatán</font></a></font><font face="Arial" size="3"> caves during the so called &quot;War of Castes.&quot;</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="color: black"> <font face="Arial" size="3">Visitors can admire many natural lime stone formations with capricious and suggestive forms that popular imagination has baptized with peculiar names such as: &quot;Cathedral&quot;, &quot;Grand Canyon Gallery&quot;, &quot;Ear of Corn&quot;, &quot;Stalactite rooms&quot;, and so on. It is important to notice the &quot;Musical&quot; columns, formed by the union of stalactites and stalagmites that produce sounds with different tones when they are knocked; or a magnificent gallery with its collapsed ceiling with descending tree roots and sun rays.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span lang="EN-US" style="color: black"> <font face="Arial" size="3">Outside of one of the entrances to Lol-Tún Caves is a </font> <span style="color: black"> <font face="Arial" size="3">large phallic monument</font></span><font size="3" face="Arial">. This monolith is almost the height of a person, and is very anatomically correct. It is a rather large example of a phallic tradition which was widespread in the Puuc region during the late/terminal Classic. This particular phallus was not originally found at Lol-Tún. It was found at a small site nearby and transported to the Lol-Tún archeological zone for protection and for the visiting public</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="left"><span lang="eng""><b> <font size="4" face="Georgia" color="#4F8955">For prices, reservations, availability and bookings, please contact us at:</font><font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> </font></b> <font face="Times New Roman" size="4"> <a style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none; text-line-through: none" href="mailto:visit@luxuriousmexico.com?subject=Yucatan, Lol-Tún Caves "> <font size="4" color="#0000FF">visit@luxuriousmexico.com</font></a></font><font color="#566A6B" size="4"><b> </b></font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="left">&nbsp;</p> <p class="MsoNormal" align="left"> <a href="../../Products.html"> <img border="0" src="../../pics/Back%20to%20Menu.jpg" width="200" height="40" align="right"></a><p class="MsoNormal" align="left"></td> <td width="44" rowspan="7">&nbsp;</td> <td width="44" rowspan="7" bgcolor="#95C9D6">&nbsp;</td> <td width="450" align="center" bgcolor="#95C9D6" height="42">&nbsp;</td> <td width="42" rowspan="7" bgcolor="#95C9D6">&nbsp;</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="450" align="justify" height="250" bgcolor="#95C9D6"> <img border="0" src="../../PicsYucatan/Yucatan,%20Lol-Tun%20Caverns,%20Puuc%20Route,%20Entrance%202%20-%20Photo%20by%20German%20Murillo-Echavarria%200405.gif" width="450" height="600" alt="Yucatan, Lol-Tun Caverns, Puuc Route, Entrance 2 - Photo by German Murillo-Echavarria 0405"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="450" align="center" bgcolor="#95C9D6" height="42"> <b><font size="2" color="#566A6B">Roof Openning at The Caves of Lol-Tún</font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="450" align="center" height="250" bgcolor="#95C9D6"> <img border="0" src="../../PicsYucatan/Yucatan,%20Lol-Tun%20Caverns,%20Puuc%20Route%20-%20Photo%20by%20German%20Murillo-Echavarria%200405.gif" width="450" height="600" alt="Yucatan, Lol-Tun Caverns, Puuc Route - Photo by German Murillo-Echavarria 0405"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="450" align="center" bgcolor="#95C9D6" height="42"> <b><font size="2" color="#566A6B">The Caves of Lol-Tún</font></b></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="450" align="center" height="250" bgcolor="#95C9D6"> <img border="0" src="../../PicsYucatan/Yucatan,%20Lol-Tun%20Caverns,%20Puuc%20Route,%20Phallic%20Stalagmite%20-%20Photo%20by%20German%20Murillo-Echavarria%200405.gif" width="450" height="337" alt="Yucatan, Lol-Tun Caverns, Puuc Route, Phallic Stalagmite - Photo by German Murillo-Echavarria 0405"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="450" align="center" bordercolor="#95C9D6" bgcolor="#95C9D6" height="42"> <b><font size="2" color="#566A6B">Maya Art at The Caves of Lol-Tún</font></b></td> </tr> </table> </td> <tr> <td width="100%" colspan="2" align="left"> <img src="../../clear.gif" alt="" width="1" height="22" border="0"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%" colspan="2" align="left" background="../../gr_bar.gif"> <img src="../../gr_payoff.jpg" alt="" width="502" height="47" border="0"></td> </tr> </table> <!-- Start of StatCounter Code --> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript"> var sc_project=886285; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_partition=7; var sc_security="178f6619"; </script> <script type="text/javascript" language="javascript" src="http://www.statcounter.com/counter/frames.js"></script><noscript><a href="http://www.statcounter.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://c8.statcounter.com/counter.php?sc_project=886285&amp;java=0&amp;security=178f6619&amp;invisible=1" alt="free webpage hit counter" border="0"></a> </noscript> <!-- End of StatCounter Code --> </body> </html>