Maya cave sites

Mayan cave sites are associated with the Mayan civilization of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Beliefs and observances connected with these cave sites persist among some contemporary Mayan communities. Many of the Mayan caves served religious purposes. For this reason, the artifacts found there, alongside the epigraphic, iconographic, and ethnographic studies, help build the modern-day understanding of the Mayan religion and society.

Mayan cave sites have also attracted thieves and invaders. Consequently, some of them have been walled shut to stop any damage to the sites. The immured caves of Dos Pilas and Naj Tunich have been sealed.