Amerindian Languages for Cavers

The so-called Amerindian Languages are the original languages of the Indian tribes in the Americas. Middle America has its own languages based on the Maya and Toltec cultures. Much of this cultures remained, including religion and languages, or was revived. So the area of the Yucatan Peninsula, which is devided between Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, is the center of those languages.

It is common practise amongst modern cavers to give the caves Mayan names after the original explorers. The Mayan for cave being actun (ac=hollow, tun=stone). It is hard to find information on these languages, but we will do our best to collect cave relevant terms on this page.


Mayan Q'eqchi English
El Zotz bat
actun cave
ac hollow
tun stone