Maya civilization in Belize featured advanced stone cities

The ancient Maya civilization in Belize featured advanced stone cities and pyramids built within jungle environments. The civilization flourished for centuries prior to European contact.

Key aspects of Mayan life included a diet centered on maize, beans, and squash, and a sophisticated free-market economic system involving trade networks for gold, copper, and jade across Central America. Religious practices involved shamans, the use of hallucinogenics in ceremonies, and human sacrifice to appease deities. The Maya also possessed advanced knowledge of astrology to predict weather patterns and celestial events.