Maya Tomb Uncovered With Treasure, Tales From 'Snake Dynasty'

Archaeology's latest find is a royal tomb belonging to the Mayan's "snake dynasty," which are over a thousand years old, and in it were treasure, hieroglyphs, and even a human body.

Unearthed at the Zunantunich ruins, an ancient city in Belize, the tomb was once home to the Mayan civilization, dating around 750 BC until the cities were abandoned due to a political collapse in the ninth century AD. As noted by The Independent, Mayans are known for developing the Mesoamerican civilization, and were renowned for their developed hieroglyphic script and ornate architecture.

The tomb was found in the central stairway of a large structure in Xunantunich, and it thought to be the largest of its kind. Its discovery is significant for archeologists in particular because the tomb appeared to be custom-built, not attached to an existing structure, making it a rare kind for its period.

Jamie Awe, an archaeologist involved in the project told The Guardian, "It appears that the temple was purposely erected for the primary purpose of enclosing the tomb. Except for a very few rare cases, this is not very typical in ancient Maya architecture."

The tomb was found when the researchers excavated the central stairway of the structure, and found in it were the remains of a male adult between 20 to 30 years old, lying with his head directed to the south. Preliminary analysis found that the man was athletic and "quite muscular" at the time of his death.

In the same grave, the researchers found jaguar and deer bones, six jade beads which appeared to be from a necklace, 13 obsidian blades, and 36 ceramic vessels. At the base of the stairway were two offering caches with nine obsidian and 28 chert flints and eccentric items - artifacts that are carved into shapes of animals and other significant symbols. The hieroglyphic panels also found in the tomb are said to have the potential to provide clues to the dynasty's long, tumultuous history.