Researchers from Guatemala uncovered the grave of King K'utz Chman, a priest who is believed to have reigned around 700 B.C., at the Tak'alik Ab'aj dig in Retalhuleu in western Guatemala.
Packed with jade jewels and other artifacts, K'utz Chman's grave is the most ancient royal Mayan burial ground found to date, investigators said. "He was the big chief," archeologist Miguel Orrego told Reuters. "The ruler who bridged the gaps between Olmec and Mayan cultures and initiated the slow transition to Mayan rule."
Historians believe that K'utz Chman was the first leader to introduce elements that would go on to define Mayan culture, such as building pyramids instead of square structures and carving sculptures that profiled royal families.
Scientists found the grave in June, but it has taken until now for experts to verify it belonged to K'utz Chman. Although no human remains were found at the site, the carbon dated artifacts suggest that the king was buried between 770-510 B.C.
Inside the grave, the team found glistening jade jewels including a necklace with a pendant carved in the shape of a vulture's head, a symbol that represented power and high economic status and that was given to respected elder men.
"The richness of the artifacts tells us he was an important and powerful religious leader," archeologist Christa Schieber told Reuters. "He was very likely the person who began to make the changes in the system and transition into the Mayan world."
For more, see Reuters.
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