Researchers have discovered evidence of a ritual burning event of human bones in the early 9th century at the Maya site of Ucanal (Guatemala), the capital of the K’anwitznal kingdom. This event marked a moment of change not only for the kingdom but also for the Maya Lowlands in general.

Excavations at Ucanal have revealed a burned deposit (Burial 20-1) containing human bones and a large quantity of ornaments: over 1,400 fragments of earrings, beads, plaques, and jade mosaics, as well as 10,000 shell beads.

These remains appear to have been part of a royal tomb from the Late Classic period that was unearthed and ritually burned in the early Terminal Classic period (around 810-850 AD).

Location of Ucanal within the Maya area
Location of Ucanal within the Maya area. Credit: C. Halperin / Antiquity

Analysis of the bones and ornaments suggests that this deposit belonged to several high-ranking individuals, including at least four adults. Some of the objects, such as a carved jade diadem and an earring with a mat design, are clearly royal symbols.

Additionally, a fragment of a funerary mask made of jade mosaic was found, a common element in elite Maya tombs.

According to researchers, this ritual burning event marked a turning point in the political history of the K’anwitznal kingdom, coinciding with the rise to power of Papmalil, a ruler whose name is unusual in classic Maya texts and who may have had foreign origins.

Left) plan of part of the core of the Ucanal site showing the location of Structure K-2; right) illustrated reconstruction of Structure K-2 in its final phase (reconstruction by L.F. Luin)
Left) plan of part of the core of the Ucanal site showing the location of Structure K-2; right) illustrated reconstruction of Structure K-2 in its final phase (reconstruction by L.F. Luin). Credit: C. Halperin et al. / Antiquity

Papmalil appears to have forged new political alliances in the region, suggesting a shift in power dynamics in the southern Maya Lowlands.

After this event, Ucanal experienced considerable prosperity, with several phases of monumental construction in the civic-ceremonial core and residential areas. However, these architectural changes did not happen overnight.

Some traditional elements, such as a large ballcourt, were built in the early phase of the Terminal Classic, while more significant innovations, such as the stela showing a new style of leadership, came later, towards the end of that period.

Burial Deposit 20-1: a) higher concentration of soot, ashes, human bones and ornaments, UCA20B-32-3-3520 (photograph by M. Perea); b and c) fragments of burned, cracked and deformed long bones, Individual 20-1A; d) fragment of partially burned femur head, Individual 20-1B
Burial Deposit 20-1: a) higher concentration of soot, ashes, human bones and ornaments, UCA20B-32-3-3520 (photograph by M. Perea); b and c) fragments of burned, cracked and deformed long bones, Individual 20-1A; d) fragment of partially burned femur head, Individual 20-1B. Credit: C. Halperin & C. Bello-Hernández / Antiquity

Together, Burial 20-1 and the rise of Papmalil seem to have marked a moment of structural transformation, where a previous dynastic line was rejected to make way for a new political order.

This ritualized burning event had the potential to generate a profound sense of upheaval, allowing the inhabitants of Ucanal to question the foundations of their ancient regime.

Thus, the ashes of this royal tomb served as a pivot upon which the K’anwitznal kingdom reinvented itself, ushering in a new era in Maya history.

Sources

Halperin CT, Perea Carrera ML, Miller Wolf KA, LeMoine J-B. A pivot point in Maya history: fire-burning event at K’anwitznal (Ucanal) and the making of a new era of political rule. Antiquity. Published online 2024:1-19. doi:10.15184/aqy.2024.38

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