Lubaantun is an ancient Mayan pre- Columbian archaeological site situated in Belize. Lubaantún is located in the district of Toledo , about 30 kilometers northwest of Punta Gorda (county seat), and about 3.5 kilometers from San Pedro Columbia. It is located at an altitude of 18 meters above sea level. The name of Archaeological Site can be translated as the "city of fallen stones". The name remains somewhat relevant today since its ruins are fairly fragile. Climbing buildings of Lubaantun is not advisable as this might result in serious injuries and destruction of historic town. One of the most distinctive features of this archaeological site is the wide collection of miniature ceramic objects that were found there.
Lubaantun dates from the Maya Classic era,
flourishing from the AD 730s to the 890s, and seems to have been
completely abandoned soon after. The architecture is somewhat
unusual from typical Classical central lowlands Maya sites.
Lubaantun's structures are mostly built of large stone blocks laid
with no mortar, primarily black slate rather than the limestone
typical of the region. Several structures have distinctive
"in-and-out masonry"; each tier is built with a batter, every second
course projecting slightly beyond the course below it. Corners of
the step-pyramids are usually rounded, and lack stone structures
atop the pyramids; presumably some had structures of perishable
materials in ancient times.
The centre of Lubaantun is
situated on a large artificially raised platform between two small
rivers; it has often been noted that the situation is well-suited to
military defence.