Cerros
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Cerros is a Mayan temple dating from the late formative period (330BC-1AD), located on a peninsula overlooking Chetumal Bay in Belize. It is a good example of early Mayan engineering and architectural capabilities.
The site, strategically located at the mouth of the New River, had endless trading possibilities. Not only was travel up and down the river possible, but also along the Atlantic coast. Aside from fishing, the people of Cerros were also able to construct massive canal systems, the largest of which encompasses 80 acres of the site. Along with the canals, the people were able to engineer raised field in conjunction with the canals to produce a highly productive system of sustainable agriculture.
The heart of the site, which sits immediately on the bay, is made up of seven large structures. Of these are the first, second, and third temples (the third often being called the east- facing acropolis), the north and south ball courts, and the fourth temple (westward facing acropolis). The most popular of these structures is the First Temple, or Structure 5C-2nd.
Estimated to have built around AD 50, Structure 5C –2nd is the furthest temple to the north, and was built right on the water. Of importance on the temple are the four stucco mask relieves, which flank either side of the stairway leading up the pyramid. These four masks have ultimately been interpreted as having relevance to the Mayan cosmos and to Mayan shamans or rulers.
The mask on the bottom right contains hieroglyphics for yax (first), k’in (sun), and a hieroglyphic symbolizing the horizon. Thus this mask has been interpreted as representing the rising sun, while the mask, which parallels it, on the opposite side of the staircase represents the Sun setting. There are two other masks which are above the bottom two, and these contain glyphs which represent the rising of the morning star (Venus), and the evening star (also Venus). The interpretations of these masks show that even at this early time in Mayan history there was stile a very sophisticated attention toward the cosmos. Often seen to represent the hero twins of the Popol Vuh, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, these masks no only represent an important connection to the cosmos, but also to Mayan mythology and the ascension of Mayan kings. Similar to the tradition of the divine right of kings, Mayan rulers often perceived their lineages to be descended from the hero twins. The Mayan king was not only the political ruler of his city or area, but also a shaman who could communicate with his ancestors. Thus a monument like structure 5C-2nd would have been an important ceremonial center as well as a visual reminder to all the inhabitants of Cerros of the true power of their ruler. The four-mask patter has also been found on the massive El Tigre pyramid at the Mayan site of El Mirador.
Although Cerros contains many great achievements such as the canal system and the raised field agriculture, parts of the site itself are largely unexcavated. It is now possible to travel to Cerros over a gravel road from Corozal. There is an archaeological information officer on site. Although smaller than sites such as Tikal and lacking in the beauty of Palenque, Cerros is still an important site and with items such as Temple 1, helps provides a template for interpreting many later Mayan sites.
