Xunantunich before being excavated, or during excavation, map of the site
Photographs courtesy Albert Paul Avila
Before Xunantunich was discovered, people had tales and rumors about a woman figure in a white dress would walk up “el Castillo” and vanish into the top entrance. It is likely similar to the story at Cahal Pech.
Deep in the jungles of Belize lie ancient and haunted Mayan ruins. Xunantunich was a once thriving Mayan city, abandoned around 700AD. It sat crumbling and reclaimed by the jungle for more than 1000 years before being rediscovered. Soon after ghost stories began to emerge of a Stone Woman. Here is the legend of the most haunted place in Belize!
The ghost story of Xunantunich came to life in 1893 after the first sighting was made. Early one morning a man who was part of research teams working on the site, saw what he described as a Mayan Maiden ascending the staircase of Xunantunich’s main pyramid. This vision caught him by surprise so he continued to watch as the woman walked further up the stairs. She wore a flowing white gown and had long, thick, dark hair which cascaded down her sleek back. Suddenly, she stopped and turned to look at the man with glowing red eyes that pierced through his soul. She then turned to continue her climb to the top of the pyramid where she disappeared in amongst its stone columns. The shocked man quickly assembled a team to search for this woman, yet no trace of her was ever found.
Since this sighting, countless more have claimed to also spot the ghostly maiden who haunts Xunantunich. She is always described in the same way and is always ascending El Castillo’s stair case. To this day, the sightings continue. Their frequency is what gives Xunantunich its name, translating to ‘The Stone Lady’ in Maya language.
Some believe that this Maya Maiden may have formerly lived within the city many years ago. Others believe that she was a human sacrifice victim, trapped to re-live her last moments of ascending to the top of the pyramid where her death ritual would have been conducted. Then, there are a few who believe her to be some sort of ancient Godly spirit linked to the site and Mayan culture. Though many have speculated, no one truly knows the identity of The Stone Woman that haunts Xunantunich.
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