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84AMCS Bulletin 12 — Chapter 450–163 cm in diameter and 32–55 cm inheight. Balanced atop one of the bins is avertically positioned slab measuring 52×74cm. Neither a local guide nor I could offeran explanation as to the function of thesefeatures.The broad and well-lit alcove of ActunXooch is the grandest and most significantlymodified rockshelter in the survey.Though its constructions cannot yet bedated, there is little doubt that the cave wasan important offertory site during thePostclassic. One can almost imagine thesmoke from the censers rising up throughthe shaft above the platform and into theforest.Figure 4.15.1. Profile of Actun Ox.4.16: ACTUN MAAS4.15: ACTUN OXActun Ox (“cave of the ramon trees”) is arockshelter site located 5.3 km south of El Naranjaland lies along the ejido boundary between Naranjaland San Cosme. The alcove is found along the southwesternperiphery of a broad, shallow sinkhole (seefigure 4.15.1). The sinkhole measures 50 m in diameter,a maximum of 5 m deep, and is filled with densevegetation and collapse debris.At its deepest point, the alcove is recessed 8 minto the lower wall of the sinkhole. The floor of thealcove is flat, dry, and covered with a thick layer offorest litter and bat guano. Immediately noticeable isa prominent dripstone column. Two low, crude, drystonewalls form a triangular enclosure between thecolumn and the cave wall (see photo in figure 4.15.2).Probing into the floor revealed a second buried courseof stones. The purpose of such a feature is unclear;however, Mercer (1895) identified similar constructionsas bird hunting blinds. To the north of this enclosureis an additional wall that appears to restrict access toa smaller alcove.There were no live speleothems observed in ActunOx. Other than the column, dripstone formations appearto have always been quite rare in this rockshelter.This might explain the absence of haltunes. Only afew sherds were observed within the alcove but it isquite probable that more can be found beneath the deeplayer of debris and guano covering the floor.Actun Maas (“cave of the cricket”) is a rocksheltersite located 2.7 km southeast of El Naranjal. It is theonly such rockshelter in the survey to be fully mappedand completely surveyed for surface collection. Duringthe initial investigation in 1996, the largest alcovewas mapped and collected. The following season, Ireturned with a local guide in order to produce a mapof the entire sinkhole.DescriptionThe three alcoves of Actun Maas are located alongthe bottom of a dry sinkhole, which measures 16 m atits widest point (see figure 4.16.1). The floor of thesinkhole is easily accessed via a gentle slope leadingdown from its southern half. The largest and deepestalcove (Operation 1) is found along the sinkhole’snorthern edge (see figure 4.16.2). It is in this alcovewhere evidence of cultural activity was concentrated.The most prominent natural feature is a hangingFigure 4.15.2. Walled enclosure in Actun Ox.