Nim Li Punit — Big Hat Pyramid and Plaza
Nim Li Punit · Big Hat (Kekchi Maya)
Late Classic Maya (250–850 CE), apogee 600–800 CE·Maya — Southern Belize polity allied to Copan·🇧🇿 Toledo District, Southern Highway 40 km north of Punta Gorda, Belize
About
About Nim Li Punit — Big Hat Pyramid and Plaza
Classic Maya foothills city on karst ridge above Golden Stream, famed for Stela 14 (second longest known Maya text, 6 m visible, original 9.4 m) showing Big Hat ruler dancing with Copan Yax Pasaj Chan Yopaat. Structure 1 elongated pyramid with three terraces forms east side of south Plaza, with tombs underneath. Small ballcourt and six altars display Copan Quiriguá stylistic blend. Population 5,000–7,000 at peak, controlling cacao and sandstone trade to Caribbean coast 25 km east.
Why it mattersLongest hieroglyphic corpus among southern Belize sites; Copan southern sphere marker.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Full length of collapsed Stela 9
Theories
- 01Nim Li Punit was Copan southeast vassal for cacao tribute
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 400–800 CE, Stela Plaza 700 CE
- Period
- Late Classic Maya (250–850 CE), apogee 600–800 CE
- Culture
- Maya — Southern Belize polity allied to Copan
- Builders
- Maya
- Purpose
- Stela cult centre with tall stepped pyramid (Structure 1) 12 m high, palace plaza and 26 stelae — tallest Maya stela (9.5 m) candidate
- Excavation
- Excavated
1976
Norman Hammond reconnaissance, Dunham mapping
1992
Geoffrey Braswell stela conservation project
On the ground
Structures & features
16.3167° N · 88.8000° W · 50 m · 2 mapped features
Structure 1 pyramid (South Group)
pyramidThree-tier stepped pyramid closing south plaza with summit temple foundation
16.3172° N · 88.7995° WStela Plaza and Stela 14
plazaStela row with altar line — Stela 14 with Big Hat ruler
16.3162° N · 88.8005° W
Gallery