Naj Tunich

Naj Tunich (Mopan Maya: [nah tunit͡ʃ] "stone house, cave") is a series of pre-Columbian era natural caves outside the village of La Compuerta, roughly 35 km east of Poptún in Guatemala. The site was a Maya ritual pilgrimage site during the Classic period. Artifacts show that the cave was accessed primarily during the Early Classic period. Deposits become rarer during the Late Classic period. The fame of the cave, however, rests on its long Late Classic (c. AD 600 – c. 900) hieroglyphic texts as well as on a considerable number painted scenes and figures.

In 2012, the caves were added to the Tentative Lists as a potential UNESCO World Heritage Site. By that time, they were already a National Monument of Guatemala.