Stelas are large tall monuments that were usually made from limestone, but in the southern Maya area, other types of stone were preferred, such as volcanic tuff. The stone was mined from distant quarries and moved across jungles without the aid of either wheeled carts or pack animals. Maya artists then used rudimentary stone tools to carve out the intricate designs on the large sculptures, before they were erected upright to their current position. Stelas depicted many things on them. Some were stone barriers raised to glorify the king and record his deeds. Others depicted the rulers of the cities they were located in, but there actual function is still unknown. Stelas did however have a ritual significance, they were considered to be invested with holiness and to contain a divine soul-like essence that almost made them living beings. They were even sometimes given names that were written in hieroglyphic texts and were considered to be participants in the rituals conducted at their location. Stelas almost always had hieroglyphics written on them, which has been very important in determining the history and stories behind different Maya sites. Looting has become a very large problem, many Stelas have been broken up or lost due to looting. But laws have now been put in place to stop people from selling these artifacts in the US and various other countries. The largest Stela ever located is the Stela E which measures 35 feet in height (including the buried 9.8 foot section keeping it upright). It is located in Izabal Department, Guatemala. Due to its massive size, Its exact weight is still currently unknown.
Remember to write down the Maya number symbols found in the log book, or on the lid, that is needed to determine the coordinates of the final cache of this series. After conversion, ten are labeled N and are each a four-digit number. Ten are labeled W and are each a three-digit number. The final cache of this series, A New Era, provides the final numbers and instructions how to add to the prior twenty to determine its coordinates.