The 2019 SPRING EQUINOX EVENT will be held on Sunday, March 24th at 10am. We hope you can join the celebration of Spring at the Main Plaza on site. We're looking for different activities this year for you to enjoy after the Maya Priest has given a blessing for you, the site and the island! Food & beverages, free site tours, interactive activities, dancing.........all in the beauty of nature where the Maya held celebrations for 1600 years. Park entrance fee applies. Sponsors welcomed - money, product, volunteers for the day. Contact Jan Brown, [email protected] SEE YOU THERE!!

Coming up soon!!!!

We already have our tickets! Can hardly wait!

Many people are not aware that an archaeological site is on Ambergris Caye. While there are plenty on the "island", Marco Gonzales stands out. Settled as early as the Preclassic, the site was still occupied well into the Postclassic.

This Sunday March 24th, Marco Gonzales hosts a spring equinox celebration. So if you are on Ambergris Caye, come on out. Even if you're not, come out for the day or weekend and visit a very important coastal trading site for the Ancient Maya.

Such a great island event! Don't miss this very special occasion this morning at Marco Gonzalez Maya Site!

Marco Gonzalez Archeological Site Celebrates Spring Equinox

Well over 175 people gathered at the Marco Gonzalez Archeological Reserve Site to celebrate the Spring Equinox on the morning of Saturday, March 24th. Making the five-plus mile drive south of San Pedro Town, families, friends, residents and tourists alike walked the quarter-mile boardwalk to the Main Plaza of the site where the ceremony and festivities were held. The event, coordinated by the Board of Directors for the Belizean non-profit Marco Gonzalez Maya Site Ambergris Caye LTD, was complete with a Maya blessing ceremony, costumed individuals, Mestizo dancers, interactive exhibits, refreshments and more.

The audience to visited the interactive activities, including an exhibit of artifacts excavated from Marco Gonzalez, which included an impressive bowl dating back to 100 A.D. that originated from Tikal, Guatemala. The booth was hosted by Mito Paz from the San Pedro House of Culture. Chris Beaumont from the Belize Chocolate Company was also onsite demonstrating how the Maya processed cacao, chocolate, using a mano y metate hand grinder made of stone. Guests were delighted to try their skills at crushing the tasty bean into a powder and sampling the taste of unrefined chocolate. Four staff members from the Institute of Archeology were also on-hand to offer guided tours of the site and to demonstrate how to throw the Maya Atlatl spear, which many were happy to try. Guests also enjoyed a variety of snacks, refreshments, and cocktails along with the chance to win great raffle prizes.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see LOTS more photos in the San Pedro Sun

==========================



Spring has Sprung at Marco Gonzalez Maya Site

Nothing like a ritual of bringing in the new spring season to pull you out of the winter doldrums. And here on San Pedro we got to collect as a community and indulge fully in a refreshing ceremony filled with incense burning, dancing, anointing with water and prayers offered by an authentic Yucatan priest. The weather lately couldn’t have been more perfect leaving the grounds of the Marco Gonzalez Archaeological Reserve prime for the trekking of so many visitors at one time. The most rustic and beautiful raised walking trail was made from remains of an old nearby dock donated after the last hurricane blew through. Signage strategically placed along the trail to notify visitors of different flora, both dangerous and healing as well as some history of the dig site and of course artifacts and ancient building sites that are being excavated. For a history buff like me, well, I was in heaven!

In conjunction with the ceremony of the blessing of the Spring Equinox, there were some educational guides on hand to discuss the artifacts and their use to interested visitors both local and tourists. There were Mayan spears to throw, raffles to enter and festive food and drink to purchase. Belize Chocolate Company was also set up at a table to explain how the Mayans would process and use the cacao bean.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in Tacogirl's Blog