October 16, 2016

Major Finds at the Maya Site of Holmul

Archaeologists at the site of Holmul have found two unlooted tombs underneath two pyramids. The finds date to 650-700 CE. They found an artifact related to the Snake Kings dynasty named after the snakehead emblem of their house. They lived 100 miles to the north. In one tomb, they found the remains of a middle aged person with jade inlayed teeth and an inscribed tibia. A carved frieze near the tomb depicts five rulers, a conch shell that was used as a scribe’s inkpot, and artifacts made of jade, obsidian, human bone, ceramics and marine shells. The second tomb in a separate pyramid also contained a middle aged person, a masonry bench, ceramics, bone and jade. The jade artifact has the name of a Snake King, “Yuknoom Ti’ Chan from Dzibanche. There appears to have been a civil war among the Snake King, and Tikal eventully overthrew them. New Technology is going to find more great Maya cities.

The Guardian has the story here with great photos;
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/oct/14/mayan-tombs-snake-kings-holmul-guatemala

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