A fully intact jade mask has been discovered in a Mayan royal tomb
The deceased and his valuables were only lucky that they did not fall victim to grave robbers.
The extraordinary find was found in Chochkitam in northeastern Guatemala, National Geographic reports on the basis of Heritage Daily. Research has been carried out at the site for more than a hundred years.
Jade is a greenish gemstone, still very valuable today. In Mayan culture, its placement in the grave indicated the wealth and influence of the deceased. Chochkitam was a lesser-known Mayan city until now, but we can learn a lot about it based on the excavations.
During an investigation in 2021, the researchers found that the pyramid had been robbed. Unfortunately for the robbers, but fortunately for science, the tunnel left the inner chamber intact. The abundant treasure trove concealed a skull, as well as a stone chest, seashells and pieces of jade. The jade mask was assembled from the latter.
They found writing on the pieces of bone, among them they managed to identify a name, Itzam Kokaj Bathlam. According to experts, this is the name of the ruler buried here who ruled Chochkitam around 350 BC. And on one of the bone carvings, the king holds the head of a Mayan deity, which resembles the pieced mask.
Pictured is a mosaic jade mask discovered in a 1,700-year-old Mayan tomb in Chochkitam, Guatemala. Photo: Francisco Estrada-Belli / Tulane University
