Xunantunich

Xunantunich (Mayan pronunciation: [ʃunanˈtunitʃ]) is an ancient Maya archaeological site in western Belize, about 70 miles (110 km) west of Belize City, in the Cayo District. Xunantunich is located atop a ridge above the Mopan River, well within sight of the Guatemala border – which is 0.6 miles (1 km) to the west. It served as a Maya civic ceremonial centre of the Belize Valley region in the Late and Terminal Classic periods (c. 700–900 AD). At that time, when the region was at its peak, nearly 200,000 people lived in the Belize Valley. Xunantunich's name means "Maiden of the Rock" in the Maya languages Mopan and Yucatec, combining "Xunaan" (noble lady) and "Tuunich" (stone for sculpture). The "Stone Woman" refers to the ghost of a woman claimed by several people to inhabit the site, beginning in 1892. She is said to be dressed completely in white with fire-red glowing eyes. She generally appears in front of "El Castillo", ascends the stone stairs, and disappears into a stone wall.. Like many names given to Maya archaeological sites, "Xunantunich" is a modern name; the ancient name is unknown.