UNREGISTERED MAYAN ARTEFACTS DISCOVERED IN ORANGE WALK

September 19, 2008 LoveFM News and Music Power from Belize


Manuela Ayuso reporting…..


Police in Orange Walk have discovered a number of unregistered Mayan
artefacts at a home on Otro Benque Road in OrangeWalkTown. There are
numerous Maya ruins in the Orange Walk district that have not been
excavated and police believe that there are people dedicated to looting
these ancient temples. On Wednesday, police visited the home of 69 year
old Cesar Castillo of Otro Benque Road Orange Walk where they found a
number of unregistered pieces. We spoke with second in command of the
Orange Walk Police Formation, Inspector Selvin Tillet.


Inspector Selvin Tillet, Second in Command, Orange Walk Police


“The artefacts that were found are: one small red dish, one small black
mask, one spindle core.three ceramics, three bones, one oxideon core,
two arrow head points , two by phase , one stemed by phase and six jade
beans. According to archaeologists, these are all antiquites and as such
Mr Cesar Castillo has been arrested and charged.”


Manuela Ayuso, Love FM


“Do the police have any idea where these artefacts came from?”


Inspector Selvin Tillet, Second in Command, Orange Walk Police


“No. At this moment we are continuing our investigation because we
understand that there are more artefacts out here in the Orange Walk
District and police are rigorously continuing the investigation to see
if we can recover these artefacts. We know that there are some people
looting these Mayan ruins and information is that there are more Mayan
artefacts out here in Orange Walk and police will try to recover them. “


Tillet says the Archaeology department has confirmed the items to be
ancient antiquities; subsequently Castillo has been arrested and charged
with failure to obtain licence to possess an ancient antiquity and
failure to register ancient antiquity. Police say they are not sure of
the exact value of the find but assure that the items are of high value
on the black market.