Archaeologists have outpaced tomb raiders by discovering a royal burial site of the ancient Maya in the jungles of Guatemala. There, they uncovered numerous jade ornaments and a jaguar skin dating back over 1,500 years.
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Artifacts found in the tomb. (Photo: Reuters) |
The tomb was discovered by archaeologist Hector Escobedo last weekend, containing the remains of the king of the city of El Peru Waka, now in ruins. This king may have been the founder of the city, which lies on the main trade route of the Maya connecting the city of Tikal in Guatemala to Mexico.
“If this is indeed the founder, it truly is a discovery of the century,” said David Freidel from Southern Methodist University in Texas.
The excavation team is working diligently as they are aware that tomb raiders are also digging in the area. Just one day before Escobedo discovered the tomb, raiders had sneaked into a tunnel excavated by archaeologists under the pyramid, but they failed to find any loot.
El Peru Waka was first identified in the 1960s, but Escobedo and his team only began excavating three years ago.
On May 3, another archaeological team also found a second royal tomb within a pyramid on a nearby hill. This tomb may have been created 400 years later. Based on the intricate depictions of noble women, dwarfs, ball players, and seated deities within the pyramid, archaeologists believe this area may contain many more royal remains.
The Maya dominated southeastern Mexico and much of Central America for thousands of years until the Spanish conquest about 500 years ago. Their descendants still live in the region today.
M.T.
