In an unexpected location within the Palenque archaeological site in Mexico, a noble and mysterious Maya queen rests in a tomb filled with treasures.
The discovery comes from the Chiapas branch of the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico (INAH). During the search for a restroom located within the Palenque archaeological complex in the southern part of the country, scientists accidentally uncovered a tomb that is at least several hundred years old, lying 1.8 meters beneath the ground.
A scientist next to the recently discovered “Maya queen” tomb.
According to Ancient Origins, the age of the tomb is not the only thing that makes it special; it is also the individual buried within. This was a woman placed in a traditional reclining position typical of Maya burials, surrounded by numerous jade and precious stone offerings.
Even more remarkably, the woman had dental work done—not with porcelain like modern dental treatments, but with a covering made from something even more valuable: jadeite. This type of dental overlay is clear evidence that she was a person of high status and extreme wealth.
The tomb is intricately constructed and is located next to a workshop for crafting gemstones. Numerous remnants of pottery and stone tools surround the tomb. It is still unclear how this workshop relates to the “Maya queen” in the tomb.
The research team is led by renowned archaeologist Arnoldo Gonzalez Cruz from INAH, who previously excavated the tomb of the “Red Queen” in 1994. This was a Maya woman who was nearly buried in treasures: jade, pearls, seashells, and bone artifacts adorned her entire body; her chest was covered with an exquisite jade and cat’s eye necklace, and she wore a jade crown on her head.
The woman was covered with a layer of red cinnabar, which is why she is referred to as the “Red Queen”, who passed away between 600-700 AD.
The newly discovered tomb is not as lavish as the tomb of the Red Queen and dates to at least several hundred years later, belonging to the pre-Columbian era. However, the treasures inside are enough to indicate the status of the individual in the tomb. There are no records to help scientists determine the identity of this mysterious “Maya queen.”
