Dan Snow’s History Hit is heading into the jungles of Belize to uncover the story of one of the most significant Maya archaeological discoveries in decades.
The trip forms the basis of content including an SVOD doc, YouTube films and podcasts.
In July 2025, archaeologists working at Caracol announced the discovery of the burial chamber of one of the Maya civilisation’s greatest rulers, Te K’ab Chaak, the founder of the Caracol dynasty and the first ‘named person’ royal tomb uncovered at the site in more than 40 years. Inside they found treasures including jadeite ornaments, ritual pottery and a mosaic death mask, “offering fresh insights into the power, sophistication and beliefs of the Classic Maya world.”
In partnership with the Belize Tourism Board, Dan Snow and a History Hit production crew have travelled across Belize to explore the country’s rich Maya heritage. The team visited the ancient city of Lamanai and its iconic Mask Temple, ventured into remote cave systems once used for Maya rituals, and met with the archaeologists behind the landmark Caracol discovery to understand what this extraordinary find reveals about Maya civilisation.
The trip has formed the basis of a new History Hit network collection including one premium SVOD documentary – ‘Secrets of the Maya’ to be released on 25th June 2026; two YouTube films – ‘We Explored Abandoned Ancient Megacity’ (Tour of Caracol) & ‘Life as an Ancient Maya’’ releasing in July; a two-part narrative podcast mini-series – ‘The Rise of the Maya’ and ‘The Fall of the Maya’ on Dan Snow’s History Hit for 3rd & 6th August and social-first content across History Hit channels throughout June – August.
“People think they need to go to Mexico to experience the Maya world, but Belize is every bit as extraordinary and arguably even more adventurous,” said Dan Snow. “You travel down crocodile-inhabited rivers to reach hidden cities emerging from the jungle canopy, explore caves filled with evidence of ancient rituals and meet communities where Maya culture still thrives today. The recent discovery at Caracol is hugely exciting. Speaking to the archaeologists behind it offered a fascinating glimpse into how discoveries like this continue to reshape our understanding of the ancient Maya.”
Jon Creamer
Share this story
