Caracol is one of the largest ancient Maya cities, located in the Maya Mountains of Belize. Once thought a minor site, it’s now known to have rivaled Tikal, covering over 200 km² and housing more than 100,000 people. It flourished from ca. 400–900 AD, with major architecture, causeways, tombs, and monuments.
Its most prominent structure is Caana (“Sky Palace”), still the tallest man-made structure in Belize at 43 meters. Caracol played a key role in Maya politics, famously defeating Tikal in a “star war” in AD 562. Its long prosperity and elite burial practices reflect its power, even as it gradually declined after AD 8591.