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80AMCS Bulletin 12 — Chapter 44.9: ACTUN HALEBFigure 4.8.5. Evidence of stalactite breakage in Actun Tsub.Table 4.8.1. Actun Tsub ceramic collection.Discussion and Closing RemarksThe lack of ceramics in Actun Tsub is, in and ofitself, truly remarkable considering evidence of frequentand intensive use. A case can be made for therecent looting of whole or nearly whole vessels. However,it is highly unlikely that individual sherds wouldbe removed to such a degree as to leave a cave essentiallysherd-free.In many ways Actun Tsub appears to be categoricallydifferent from other caves in the survey withrespect to water collection. Nevertheless, it may stillhave retained the qualities of controlled or restrictedsacred space. It is possible that water was regularlydrawn from the mouth of the well for quotidian purposes.This practice may have been separate from tripsmade into the cave for the collection of water for ritualpurposes. This distinction between accessing cavewater from outside a cave versus collecting it frominside the cave itself appears to have been presentamong the ancient Maya. Ethnographic references tothis distinction are discussed in the final chapter ofthe dissertation. Given the nature of speleothem breakageand removal in Actun Tsub (and the lack of othercultural features), it is possible that this particular cavewas assigned a specialized function.Actun Haleb (“cave of the tepezcuintle”) is located4.5 km southeast of El Naranjal. The cave wasvisited only once (in 1995) and was not selected formore detailed investigation. The interior of ActunHaleb can be described as a single, moderately largecircular chamber (approximately 30 m in diameter and4 m high), with a narrow passageway leading down toa small, low-ceiling room below. The cave is accessedvia a small hole at the bottom of a doline or shallowdepression. Leading downward from the entrance andinto the cave interior is a slope consisting of collapsedebris.A poorly preserved wall of roughly dressed blocks,located at the top of the slope, is responsible for thesmall entrance portal and may be the result of a deliberateattempt to restrict access to the cave. Additionally,a simple terrace riser is discernible at the base of theslope. East of the entrance slope is a flat area createdby a single course of stones and fill material. A secondsuch feature nearby creates a similarly leveledarea on the otherwise sloping cave floor.A crude stairway (the treads of which are barelyvisible) leads from the base of the entrance slope,through an apparently modified notch, and into a smallroom below. This room is dry and there is no visibleindication of seasonal or periodic accumulation ofwater. Moreover, two local guides who visit the caveinfrequently while hunting tepezcuintle mentioned thatthey have never seen standing water in the cave. However,it is important to note that live stalactites arefound throughout the cave. Many of the largerspeleothems have been broken and removed.The cave contains a light scattering of sherds.Early types such as Tancah Burdo and Sierra Red arepresent. Several sherds have been thrown into naturalniches in the cave walls. No pottery was observed inthe lower room. This is likely the result of the continualdeposition of surface soils washed into the caveduring heavy rains. As mentioned in Chapter 4.7, similardeposits of well-sorted soils concealed surfacepottery in sections of Actun Pech. The floor of thelower room is approximately 8 m below the groundsurface. I suspect that the water table is located considerablydeeper in this area and therefore concludedthat the soil deposit does not represent the infilling ofa natural pool (as is the case in Actun Toh). The cavewould therefore be considered dry and dripping stalactiteswould have provided the only source of water. Itremains unclear why the stairway leads into the lowerroom. If it was used as an offertory area, then anyvessels placed there were either removed or are concealed