Oldest royal Mayan tomb dating back to 350BC found in Guatemala
Baku, April 6 (AZERTAC). Archaeologists have discovered the oldest recognized tomb of an ancient Mayan ruler dating back again to 350BC.
A buried incense burner engraved with the image of a `Jester god`, a image of royalty amongst the Mayans, was found out lying following to the skeleton, confirming the remains belonged to royalty.
Discovered in a tomb beneath a rich house in Holmul in north-eastern Guatemala, the skeleton is considered to have been a guy in his fifties who was in fairly good well being at the time of his death.
Last but not least uncovered: Archaeologists have found the oldest identified tomb of an historic Mayan ruler dating again to 350BC in Guatemala
Alongside it at the Maya site of K`o have been seven ceramic vessels, jars and plates - and the incense burner.
`We have older Maya burials, but don`t have ones with grave products that incorporate a royal symbol,` John Tomasic, of the College of Kansas, informed USA Today.
`We excavated the floor of the developing and just dug down until we found a lid.`
Beneath the lid archaeologists found out a tunnel with a width of about 16 inches that was `just extensive enough for a human body`.
This, in turn, led into a storage chamber named a `chultan` in which the burial had taken location.
`We crawled in and shined a light and saw the body,` Mr Tomasic said.
`I feel it is honest to say what we have identified is the oldest known burial of a Maya ruler. And we have observed the earliest depiction of a jester god headdress.`
Alongside the remains had been seven ceramic vessels, jars and plates - and the incense burner engraved with a Jester god (centre)
Archaeologist Michael Callaghan, of the University of Texas, analysed the 7 ceramic objects.
Presenting the team`s final results at a Society for American Archaeology meeting in Sacramento, California, yesterday, he mentioned the pots clearly arrived from the era circa 350BC, the interval when Maya ceramics began to adopt a red colour.
A bone sample was sent to a laboratory for radiocarbon dating where experts confirmed it to be the very same age.
Dr Callaghan said: `The genuine question here is how old was the entire body. (But) these are pretty persuasive numbers.
The group expects to uncover far more royal Mayan burials as they excavate under a lot more homes in the region.
Previously the earliest acknowledged burial of an historic Mayan ruler dated from 100BC. People remains were discovered in San Bartolo in 2005.
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