Tomb of early classic Maya ruler found in Guatemala

[Judi Lynn]

2. 1,000-Year-Old Tomb of Maya King Discovered in Guatemala

1,000-Year-Old Tomb of Maya King Discovered in Guatemala
By Megan Gannon, Live Science Contributor | September 18, 2017 07:02am ET

Archaeologists digging under a Maya palace in Guatemala say they have opened the tomb of a royal and found a jade mask and bones, both painted bright red.

The tomb was unearthed at the site of El Perú-Waka' in the rainforest of northern Guatemala. Though the dense city was filled with hundreds of buildings, including pyramids, palaces, plazas and houses, it was only rediscovered in the 1960s, when petroleum workers stumbled upon the ruins.

The site was occupied during the Classic Maya period (from around A.D. 200 to 800), and it had close ties to the nearby Maya rival capitals Tikal and Calakmul. A wealthy royal family once ruled Waka' and controlled what was a major trade route along the San Pedro River. [See Photos of Another Mayan Tomb]

A team of American and Guatemalan archaeologists have been excavating Waka' since 2003. They've found several burials of kings and queens (as well as some potential human sacrificial offerings).

More:
https://www.livescience.com/60433-royal-mayan-tomb-with-red-bones.html?utm_source=notification