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60AMCS Bulletin 12 — Chapter 4routine ancient water collection. The ceramiccollection, small as it is, consists entirelyof Middle Preclassic to Late Preclassic (orProtoclassic) material. The Middle PreclassicAchiote sherd is interesting and ifmore were found within the cave, it mightsuggest an early phase which has not yetbeen identified this close to El Naranjal.Unfortunately, a number of logistical constraintsprevented further surface collectionof the cave.Actun Tam Ha does not appear to havehosted a broad range of activities like thatof Actun Toh. It is conceivable that offeringsonce deposited in the cave have sincebeen looted but identifiable altars orshrines are conspicuously lacking. Thougha disproportionately high number of smallstalactites are present (suggesting culturalbreakage), the cave does not appear to havebeen a preferred location for speleothemremoval. This is likely due to the chamber’ssteep walls and high ceiling. Actun TamHa is indeed a grand cave and was no doubtvalued for its majestic pool and for its expansiveand inaccessible nature.Figure 4.4.1. Map of Akab Ch’en.4.4: AKAB CH’ENAkab Ch’en (“dark well”) lies withinthe ejido of San Francisco, but is locatedapproximately 2 km southwest of the communityof San Cosme. In antiquity, the cavewas likely associated with the site of SanCosme itself. The following description isthe result of a single trip to the cave in thespring of 1996. The cave was not selected for detailedinvestigation; however, it was plotted, sketch mapped,and photographed.DescriptionAkab Ch’en can be divided into three distinctzones or areas. The entrance zone is a circular sinkhole,approximately 25 m in diameter, with 5 m-highvertical to incurving walls. The floor of the sinkholeis reached via an artificially carved portal along itsnorthern wall. This portal connects the interior of thesinkhole with an adjacent topographic depression orgully (see figures 4.4.1, 4.4.2, and 4.4.3). A stairwayconsisting of six intact risers spans the short verticaldrop between the threshold of the portal and the floorof the sinkhole. This stairway is composed of largeFigure 4.4.2. Profile of Akab Ch’en.well-dressed blocks. The floor of the sinkhole is relativelylevel except for a low mound of breakdown atits center. The entrance zone is well lit and due to itstall trees and lush foliage, has an atrium-like quality.An alcove is located high within the wall of the sinkhole(just east of the portal) and inside sherds were observed.Along the southeastern periphery of the sinkholefloor, is the entrance to a steeply sloping chamber. Awell-preserved stairway descends into this twilightarea and ultimately arrives at the twin entrances tothe room below. The stairway consists of roughly- towell-dressed blocks, and reaches the bottom of thesloping chamber via three switchbacks. The entrancesat the basal landing of the stairway are essentially twoovoid portals, which are divided by a dripstone columnatop a flowstone mound (see figure 4.4.4). The southernportal, which appears to have been the preferred