A team of archaeologists from Tulane University has made an incredible discovery deep in the Guatemalan jungle – an untouched 1,700-year-old Maya royal tomb.
Led by Francisco Estrada-Belli, the researchers were exploring ancient ruins known as Chochkitam near the borders of modern-day Mexico and Belize when they stumbled upon the remarkable burial site.
Inside the tomb were exquisite funerary offerings befitting a king, including a mosaic jade mask, rare seashells, and inscriptions carved into human thigh bones.
One bone etching depicts a man’s profile holding a jade mask similar to the one found, believed to be an unknown Maya ruler. Experts think the hieroglyphics on the artifact identify the king’s father and grandfather, linking him to the powerful Maya city-states of Tikal and Teotihuacan in central Mexico.
A find like this is like winning the lottery for information about the ancient Maya, said Estrada-Belli. It opens a window into a very obscure time period where we have very few surviving texts.
Very little remains from the peak of the Classic Maya era between 250-900 AD, as their jungle ruins were long plundered by looters. Incredibly, Estrada-Belli’s team uncovered the untouched tomb just two meters away from tunnels dug by previous salvagers.
Using advanced LIDAR technology that scans the dense jungle canopy with airborne lasers, the team serendipitously discovered evidence of prior looting attempts. It’s like taking X-rays of the forest floor, explained Estrada-Belli.
This revolutionizes our field by allowing us to see exactly where to explore, instead of just wandering through the jungle hoping to find something.
Inside the richly decorated tomb were over 16 rare spiny oysters called spondylus, which high-ranking Maya wore as jewelry, currency, and religious offerings.
Radiocarbon dating indicates the artifacts are from around 350 AD, linking this mysterious king to the powerful cities of Tikal and Teotihuacan. The discovery sheds new light on royal succession and ancient Maya religious practices during this pivotal period.
Tulane University’s commitment to studying the achievements of indigenous American civilizations was validated by this incredible finding, 100 years after the university first explored the region.
Future studies may unlock even more secrets through DNA testing of the remains. Estrada-Belli and his team are now focused on learning the identity of this enigmatic Maya lord and what other treasures may yet lie buried within Chochkitam’s abandoned pyramids.
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