Walking into a looters 30 foot high trench carved out of one structure, you come upon a smaller tunnel leading to a looted tomb. Above you, are pieces of broken chert, flint and firestone, all once used as tools. Why did the Maya embed them into the limestone, in a circle 8 feet above the ground? Then it dawns on me. This must have been the sealed off top entrance to the tomb which the Maya of ancient time had layered with chips, to possibly warn future generations away from the sealed crypt. The looters had came in from the side. Camping close to the ruins by the shores of the small river, rio Azul, we test out the Tigrea we so painstakingly protected on the road in. The sounds of the imitated jaguar with the use of a gourd made by an elderly former jaguar hunter bellow out gruff huffing sounds. Even letting the amateur callers have a try, must have been sufficient for the jaguar. The horses started running spooked as they can sense when one is near. Was it the jaguar's presence or were we that good at imitating a jaguar?? On our last trip on the Rio Usumacinta River, we first tried out
the Tigrea. We had attracted jaguars enough for them to come down
and check us out leaving only their footprints, but not enough to
make a reply to our call. The experienced ex-hunter told me that
when the jaguar calls within 50 meters. the earth vibrates from
the strength or force of the sound. One reason why some hunters
a few years ago, didn't take down the big cat because they got nervous
and couldn't shoot straight.
The tombs of Rio Azul Xilbalba: - Underworld Rio Azul an Early Classic site which starts to show masks and historical stealea. The Kings started wearing the masks in AD200. One tomb
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