Archaeologists find "extremely rare" jade mask in Maya king's tomb (2024)

Archaeologists have announced the discovery of a remarkable and "extremely rare" jade mask from the tomb of an ancient Maya king who died around 1,700 years ago.

The stunning mask, which is thought to have belonged to the king, was found in June 2022, during investigations in the ancient city of Chochkitam—a little known Maya archaeological site nestled within the dense rainforest of northeastern Guatemala in the Petén department.

Researchers dated the tomb to around A.D. 350, making it one of the oldest royal burials from the Maya Classic Period (A.D. 250 to 900) ever found, archaeologist and National Geographic explorer Francisco Estrada-Belli told Newsweek.

The Maya civilization dominated what is now southeastern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and the western areas of El Salvador and Honduras for more than 3,000 years until the era of Spanish colonization.

Archaeologists find "extremely rare" jade mask in Maya king's tomb (1)

The ancient Maya were notable for their striking architecture and art; advanced calendar, mathematics and astronomical system; and for creating the only fully developed writing system in pre-Hispanic America.

While Chochkitam has been known since the early 20th century, the tomb where the jade mask was found, which lies within a pyramid structure, had never been investigated before. The archaeologists found the tomb intact, despite looters' failed attempts to reach it.

Inside the tomb, archaeologists found a coffin-shaped stone box, a mostly decayed skeleton and a series of offerings accompanying the burial, as first reported by National Geographic. The offerings included a pot, a collection of large oyster shells, some carved, decorated human bones from separate individuals and a number of jade pieces, which the researchers determined made up an elaborate mask.

"We realized it was [a] royal [tomb] the moment we saw all the offerings inside the burial," Estrada-Belli said.

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The mask is made up of a mosaic of 33 postage-stamp-sized jade pieces that were scattered among the chest area of the skeleton.

"It was difficult to piece together ... we did not know exactly how they fit. So, it took some trial and error to refit them all, with the help of an expert in conservation," Estrada-Belli said.

The kind of mask found in the tomb was known as a "k'oj" (pronounced "koh")—and it usually represented a god or deified ancestor.

"It could be mounted on a rigid belt or worn on a special rack tied to one's back. It could also be occasionally worn over one's face when an ancestral or divine spirit was meant to possess and communicate through a living body," Alexandre Tokovinine, researcher with the Department of Anthropology at the University of Alabama, told Newsweek. "It could also be part of a sacred bundle or a full-size devotional statue."

"As far as our understanding of the Classic Maya culture goes, only the royals had those belt masks."

Aside from the primary skeleton found in the tomb—that of the king himself—the additional human bones that archaeologists uncovered helped shed light on the ruler's identity.

These additional bones, which form part of the burial offering, include two finely carved femurs belonging to two separate individuals, as well as other carved bone fragments that appear to come from two other people. The researchers are awaiting DNA results to determine whether any of them were related to the king.

The bones are important because one has the image and name of the enigmatic king and two of his ancestors carved into it. The second femur also bears the same name in hieroglyphic writing. The carved name reads "Itzam Kokaj Bahlam"—which roughly translates to "sun god/bird/jaguar."

According to Estrada-Belli, discovery of the royal tombs and the remains within is "significant on several levels"—not least because they shed light on a little known period in Maya history.

Firstly, the tomb "miraculously escaped the extensive looting that has ravaged archaeological sites in this part of Guatemala. At Chochkitam, we had already encountered several tombs left empty by looters. Antiquities looting is an ongoing problem tied to international organized crime, unfortunately," Estrada-Belli said.

Secondly, jade masks and incised human bones are "extremely rare" finds in Maya archaeology, according to Estrada-Belli. And it is quite rare to find the name of the buried king on one of the tomb offerings.

Archaeologists find "extremely rare" jade mask in Maya king's tomb (2)

Furthermore, researchers were able to glean a wealth of information from the skeleton and offerings about portions of the Classic Period that remain poorly understood.

The Classic Period represents the peak of ancient Maya civilization, but scholarly knowledge of the political history between A.D. 300-500 is still very fragmentary.

"[Our knowledge] is shaped by the history of specific archaeological projects rather than by what is actually on the ground. In the case of Chochkitam, no one has considered its role in regional politics because prior archaeological investigations concentrated on the nearby sites of Xultun and Rio Azul," Tokovinine said.

"Findings at Chochkitam, including this burial, reveal that the political situation was more complex and dynamic with three rather than two royal houses competing for the local top spot in a network of alliances and patronage.

The objects associated with the burial link the king found in the tomb to other important kingdoms, suggesting that he was part of a network of Maya royalty under the influence of more powerful dynasties, according to Estrada-Belli. The dynasties in question are another Maya kingdom known today as Tikal and a more distant hegemonic state called Teotihuacan, in Mexico, more than 600 miles away.

Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about archaeology? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.

Archaeologists find "extremely rare" jade mask in Maya king's tomb (2024)

FAQs

Archaeologists find "extremely rare" jade mask in Maya king's tomb? ›

A RARE Jade mask has been discovered inside a 1,700-year-old Maya tomb in Guatemala. The mask was just one of a number of artifacts discovered inside an ancient Maya king's tomb. According to Live Science, the mask depicts the Maya storm god.

Where was the jade funerary mask of the Mayan king found at the little known site in Guatemala? ›

Researchers in Guatemala have uncovered a royal Maya tomb that may have belonged to a “previously unknown” king. Dating to 350 C.E., during the Maya classic period, the tomb is full of “extraordinary” funeral offerings, including an ancient mosaic jade mask, according to a statement from Tulane University.

Where was the Mayan mask found? ›

National Geographic Explorer Francisco Estrada-Belli's discovery in Chochkitam, Guatemala, sheds new light on an ancient society.

What is the jade mask in Guatemala? ›

Archaeologists have discovered a 1,700-year-old royal tomb in Guatemala that's overflowing with funeral offerings, including an intricately designed jade mask depicting a Maya deity.

Did archaeologists find the lost remnants of a Maya civilization hiding in the jungle? ›

Using Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) technology, researchers detected various ancient structures and settlements of the Mayan civilization in ​​approximately 140 square kilometers. This discovery reveals a complex network of constructions hidden for centuries in the dense Mexican jungle.

Was the jade mask discovered in the pyramid tomb of Maya King? ›

The stunning mask, which is thought to have belonged to the king, was found in June 2022, during investigations in the ancient city of Chochkitam—a little known Maya archaeological site nestled within the dense rainforest of northeastern Guatemala in the Petén department.

What is a Mayan death mask? ›

Mayas were buried with a death mask, which was intended to protect the wearer on their journey to the afterlife. Death masks were the most sacred and elaborate. The death mask of King Pakal is one of the most famous Maya artefacts.

Where was the jade mask found? ›

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA—According to a statement released by Tulane University, a mosaic jade mask, 16 spondylus shells, and carved human femurs have been discovered in a 1,700-year-old tomb at Guatemala's Maya site of Chochkitam by archaeologist Francisco Estrada-Belli.

Have any Mayan bodies been found? ›

In an ancient Maya temple-pyramid in Guatemala, archaeologists recently discovered the scorched bones of at least four adults who were likely members of a royal lineage. The burning signaled a deliberate and potentially public desecration of their remains, according to new research.

What does the Mayan mask symbolize? ›

Mayan masks were made for religious ceremonies and events. The masks that were worn for these ceremonies were designed to represent their gods. Most designs made on the masks were symbols of the gods that showed many elements of representing the spirit world and the Mayan worship. The precious stone most used was Jade.

Is Guatemalan Jade rare? ›

Guatemalan jade is a rare gem material that comes in many different colors. This jade was prevalent in the ancient Mesoamerican culture, however, its sources were lost for five centuries. It was rediscovered less than 50 years ago.

Who discovered jade in Guatemala? ›

In 1975, In partnership with her late husband Jay Ridinger, Mary Lou Ridinger discovered three distinct sources for jadeite in the Motagua river valley of Guatemala, and also discovered tools and other indications that pre-Columbian Maya artisans had worked the material at the source site.

Why is jade so important to the Mayans? ›

The value of jade went beyond its material worth. Perhaps because of its color, mirroring that of water and vegetation, it was symbolically associated with life and death and therefore possessed high religious and spiritual importance. The Maya placed jade beads in the mouth of the dead.

Was it the Aztecs or Mayans that disappeared? ›

The Mayan civilization's decline is still shrouded in mystery, with theories suggesting overpopulation, environmental degradation, and internal conflict. The Aztec Empire, however, fell primarily due to the Spanish conquest led by Hernán Cortés and the subsequent colonization.

What Mayan city is buried in the jungle? ›

It is highlighted by a pyramid rising 82 feet above the natural terrain. Researchers named the newly discovered city Ocomtún, “stone column” in Yucatec Maya. The multiple cylindrical columns discovered likely serving as entrances to upper rooms of buildings.

What explorer killed the Mayans? ›

The Itza Maya and other lowland groups in the Petén Basin were first contacted by Hernán Cortés in 1525, but remained independent and hostile to the encroaching Spanish until 1697, when a concerted Spanish assault led by Martín de Urzúa y Arizmendi finally defeated the last independent Maya kingdom.

Where did Mayan jade come from? ›

The Maya of Mexico and Central America had a source of jade in Guatemala, which came in various shades from pale to dark green. Maya craftworkers carved jade using stone and bone tools. Elite members of Maya society wore jade jewellery such as earspools, lip plugs, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, pendants, and belts.

Where were the Mayan ruins found? ›

Most important sites
SiteLocation
CaracolCayo District, Belize
El Ceibal (also known as Seibal)Petén Department, Guatemala
Chichen ItzaYucatán, Mexico
ChunchucmilYucatán, Mexico
30 more rows

Where have Mayan hieroglyphics been found? ›

Newly discovered hieroglyphs show that the Maya were writing at a complex level 150 years earlier than previously thought. The glyphs, which date to about 250 B.C., were found on preserved painted walls and plaster fragments in the pyramidal structure known as Las Pinturas, in San Bartolo, Guatemala.

Where were Mayan kings buried? ›

Tulane archaeologist uncovers ancient Maya king's tomb, revealing rare treasures and royal lineage. An ancient Maya tomb dating back 1,700 years has been discovered by a Tulane University archaeologist at the site of Chochkitam in Guatemala near the borders of what are now Mexico and Belize.

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