Two hidden tombs discovered under two Ancient Mayan pyramid in Guatemala. Miraculously, both of tombs was escaped from the target of tomb raiders. These burial sites, which have been built around 650-700 AD and was found in the ruins of an ancient city named Holmul, located about 482 kilometers north of Guatemala City.
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| Archaeologists discovered an unusually large tomb within a pyramid (pictured) at the ruins of Xunantunich in Belize. Beside the stairs leading to the tomb, they found three hieroglyphic panels (covered by green screen left and blue tarpaulen right). (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gDRO0) |
According to the DailyMail, the experts hope their findings will reveal more secrets about the mysterious Mayan dynasty known as the 'King Snake' or Kaanul. Archaeologists gave this nickname based on the findings of the family crest in the form of a snake's head. Kaanul dynasty ruled the area as far as 160 kilometers to the north of the tomb in Holmul. And Holmul city was abandoned when the Mayan civilization has declined between the 8th and the 9th centuries.
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| A map shows the location of the Holmul ruins in Guatemala, near to the border with Belize. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gDRO0) |
One tomb containing the bones of a middle-aged man who probably was a member of the Mayan nobles. It can be recognized from jade ornament on one of his teeth. "The skeleton also comes with a written tibia, so it is considered as the very, very rare finding," says the researcher Francisco Estrada-Belli as told to The Guardian.
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| A reconstructed view of Holmul in the final phase of the Classic Period. The city of Holmul was abandoned when the Mayan civilisation declined between the 8th and 9th centuries. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gDRO0) |
The tomb was found at the bottom of the pyramid built on older structures. However, an inscription written on the bone eroded so badly that the researchers difficult to read it. Inside the tomb, the researchers also found objects made from shells, jade, obsidian and human bones, as well as ceramics. An engraving that was nearby shows the names of five Ancien Mayan rulers, but the skeleton was in the tomb is not one of those who were written, said Estrada-Belli.
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| This image was taken from a 3D scan of a frieze that sits near one of the tombs. The main figure is a king wearing an avian sun god headdress emerging from a sacred mountain spirit head amid feathered serpents. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gDRO0) |
At the second tomb found two rooms. Researchers believe that both rooms were previously functioning as the rooms of the palace. The researcher team also found the remains of middle-age man, along with benches of stone, ceramics and jade.
A jade pendant with the inscription found in the tomb was the first object that mention the name of a king snake. The text on the back side of the sun-god jade pendant reads 'Y-uuh Yuknoom U-ti Chan Kaanul Ajaw'. Alexandre Tokovinine, the team's epigraphs expert, said the meaning of the text is 'on Behalf Yuknoom Uti Chaan, the Holy King of Kaanul'.
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| Text on back side of sun-god jade pendant from one of the tombs reads: 'Y-UUH YUKNOOM U-TI CHAN KAANUL AJAW', ' - the name of Yuknoom Uti Chaan, holy king of Kaanul. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gDRO0) |
The pendant is believed to belong to the king of the completely different city, Dzibanche, which is now located in Mexico. "It looks a like the story of Game of Thrones or Europe in the Middle Ages," Estrada-Belli said. And these Snake kings estimated to have been at war with the neighboring kingdoms like Holmul when they dominated most of the world's of ancient Mayan about 1,500 years ago.
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| Close up of ceramic vessels decorated with pseudoglyphs in one of the two tombs. Both of the burial chambers were filled with artifacts including ceramics and items crafted from shell, bone and jade. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1gDRO0) |
Although this Snake Dynasty reigning of Calakmul in Mexico, but during the Late Classic period, the origins of the dynasty actually originated elsewhere. The last king of Snake dynasty allegedly ruled his kingdom from Dzibanche.
The researchers believe that there will be more discoveries in the region. And Estrada-Belli said that by the using of new technologies will reveal many undiscovered ancient cities. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DAILYMAIL | THE GUARDIAN]
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