The Mayan site of Ceibal blossomed in the twilight years of the Classic period after being infused with new life from the invading Putún Mayans’ merchant warrior culture from Mexico’s Tabasco region. It grew quickly between A.D. 830 and 910, harboring an estimated 10,000 inhabitants at its peak.

There are four main clusters of structures connected via causeways and the ruins here have a distinctly non-Mayan feel to them. Round platforms dot the site and several of the inscribed monuments feature unusual items such as waist-length hair, speech scrolls, and straight noses.

There are 57 stelae here, many of them huge and in fairly good condition. Several of these are in the Central Plaza, along with its unrestored temples, and in the neighboring South Plaza. Another of the site’s curiosities is Structure 79, a large round stone platform set in a forest clearing used for religious ceremonies and maybe even serving as a platform for astronomical observation.

The protected forest around Ceibal is particularly striking, as it is home to several of the large ceiba trees giving the area its name. It is among the few stands of well-preserved forest remaining in this area.