A mysterious jade mask was discovered in the tomb of a Mayan Indian king.

Treasure thieves missed pyramid burial

Archaeologists have discovered an intact jade mask in the tomb of a Mayan king in Chochquitam, a little-known ancient Mayan state in the northeast of modern Guatemala.

A recent report from National Geographic stated that a jade mask was discovered at an excavation site in Chochkitama, found in the tomb of a Mayan king. Scientists note that the found artifact shows that among the Mayans, masks symbolized deities or ancestors and were used to reflect the wealth and influence of the buried people.

Modern research indicates that Chochkitam was a royal city whose history dates back to pre-classical times. This place was first reported back in 1909.

Following a lidar survey in 2021, archaeologists discovered that grave robbers had dug a tunnel into the central structure of the royal pyramid. Upon further inspection, the researchers noted that the attackers had overlooked a certain area in the pyramid’s inner chamber. This oversight resulted in the discovery of a human skull, several teeth and bone fragments, a coffin-shaped stone box, and funerary offerings consisting of a pot, oyster shells, and numerous pieces of jade that, when assembled, came together to form a jade mask.

Some of the bone fragments bear carvings and writings that spell out the name Itzamkok Bahlam, which researchers believe may have been the name of a buried Mayan king who ruled Chochkitam around 350 AD. Most interestingly, one of the bones has a carving of a ruler holding the head of a Mayan deity – an exact representation of the assembled jade mask.

Tulane University professor Estrada-Belli told National Geographic: “Everything tells me that this was a Mayan king who was part of a network of Mayan royal families in the sphere of influence of Tikal and Teotihuacan.”