Balankanche is a sacred cave used for rituals by the Maya, situated near the Maya-Toltec city of Chichén Itzá in the Yucatan, Mexico.
Worship at the cave extends to the Pre-Classic period, continuing into the late Post-Classic period until the Maya collapse.
The Maya believed that the universe was divided into the sky, the earth and the underworld, in which caves functioned as a portal or gateway to Xibalba, a subterranean realm ruled by the Maya death gods and their helpers.
Balankanche is one such venerated cave, in which the current accessible system stretches for around 1.2 miles in length through the soluble limestone rock. During the Terminal Classic period, the water table was at least six metres lower than today, allowing the Maya to venture further into the cave system to perform sacred rituals.
The Maya built a quadrangle of masonry structures around the cave entrance; however, these were demolished sometime during the 1950’s when they were bulldozed for road fill. The cave was also connected to Chichén Itzá by a sacbe, Yucatec Maya for "white road", a raised paved road that was likely used as a sacred route for Maya pilgrims.