Archaeologists

Archaeologists believed to know the history of the Maya. Until they found the tomb of the first King of Caracol

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Forty years are nothing. Not at least if we talk about the archaeological research of Snailan ancient and impressive Mayan city located in what is Belize today. Although the teachers Diane and Arlen Chasefrom the University of Houston (UH), they have been excavating the deposit for more than four decades had not yet found one of their Great treasures Occults: a grave of almost 1,700 years in which the remains of Te K’ab Chaak, the first ruling of Caracol and founder of a powerful dynasty that lasted for almost five centuries rest. The finding is key for what he reveals to Te K’ab Chaak, but also about his context. “They rewrite the Mayan history”, They claim From the UH. In a remote place by Belize … The Chiquibul Forest Reserve He hosts one of Belize’s most important (and impressive) Mayan deposits: the ancient city of Caracol. It is believed that at its peak came to occupy an area of almost 100 km2, with agricultural fields and careful urban planning, and welcomed 100,000 inhabitants. That without counting its geopolitical weight in the Mayan civilization and its participation in wars with neighboring towns, such as Tikal either UCANAL. One of the most fascinating constructions that has been preserved in Caracol is Caanaa majestic royal palace and ceremonies center raised around 600 or 700 AD (during the period Late classic of the Mayan civilization) and that reaches 43.5 meters high, which led its discoverers to give it the name with which we know it now: Caana, which means “place of the sky” in Maya. Ancient city, new surprises. Although the researchers have been studying the snail site for decades, they had not yet found one of their greatest treasures. At least until now. The couple of archaeologists formed by Diane and Arlen Chase, of the UH, has just discovered A surprising finding Under the canopy of an acropolis located to the right of the Palacio de Cana: a tomb of ago 1,700 years. A real grave, to be more precise. And not anyone. His dweller is You k´ab chaakwho amounted to the throne towards The 331 AD His figure is crucial in the history of Caracol for several reasons. He is considered the first ruler of the city and founded a real dynasty that would last 460 years. “We knew we had something”. A few days ago Arlen Chase He reported to The New York Times (Tnyt) The exact moment of the finding and how the archaeologists intuited that they had found something great just to take a look at the grave, the color of the cinnabar, its ceramics and the mask located on the side. “As soon as we saw the camera we knew we had something,” recalls Arlenwho still remembers what his first impression was: “My God, this is much more important than he believed.” Logical. A Te K´ab Chaak had buried him at the foot of a real family sanctuary with 11 vessels, carved bone tubes, jewelry made with jadeíta, a funeral mask made with accounts of the same material and shells of Spondylus (a genus of bivalve) of the Pacific. Among gods. “The vessels. The finding brings new clues about Te K´ab Chaak, who amounted to the throne in the year 331 of our era and whose grave is the first of three important burials dated Maya of the merchants, surrounded by offerings. Four of the vessel rulers of Caracol as part of their names “, Point out The University. Knowing Te K´ab Chaak. The finding provides information about Te K´ab Chaak, who amounted to the throne in 331 AD and whose grave is the first of three burials dated Towards 350 AD The sovereign was the first ruler of the Mayan city and set a real dynasty that would last for four and a half centuries, covering much of its history. The UH remember that the metropolis played a relevant role in Mayan history and dominated part of the southern Yucatan between 560 and 680 AD ended up abandoned around 900 DC Thanks to the remains located in the grave, the Chase have concluded that at the time of their funeral you k´ab chaak was a sovereign major, who had already lost his teeth and measured around 1.7 meters. “The early classical period is the time when the rulers claim that they supervise everything, completely away from the rest of the population. That changes at the end of the period, especially in Caracol, when after the success of the war against Tikal, they begin to share wealth with the general population. Not this person,” Comment. Does it reveal anything else? Yes. Light. And that is one of the reasons why the finding of the Chase has generated so much expectation. For a start, Remember The researchers, is the first grave of an identifiable ruler after more than 40 years of work in Caracol. It also provides valuable information to better understand its context, the connections of the Mayan world and its contact with Teotihuacánone of Mesoamerica’s greatest archaeological complexes and that in 300 AD had already become a city that marketed with all of Central America. “The Mayan monuments of carved stone, the dates, the iconography and the archaeological data suggest that the generalized Panmeso American connections occurred after an event in the 378 DC called ‘input’”, remember Diane Chase. In Caracol tombs archaeologists have found however artifacts that leads them to look at central Mexico and Teotihuacán. Problem? The burials located in Caracol date from 350 AD, “at least one generation before the recognized theotihuacan presence.” But … What does that mean? “Both central Mexico and the Mayan area knew the ritual practices of the other party, as reflected in the Caracol cremation,” Reflect Arlen Chase. The clues included in the Belize necropolis point out therefore that the first Mayan rulers maintained contacts “at the Mesoamerican level” before even the “entrance” of Teotihuacán that was recorded in their sizes. “The connections between the two regions were … Read more

The burning is one of the most mysterious sites in Mexico. And their fire craters continue to baffle archaeologists

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Mexico is a archaeological treasure And, although the Yucatan Peninsula be the one that usually monopolizes All eyes due to Mayan ruins and initiatives such as Mayan train for enhance tourismthe central area of Mesoamerica It is home to other relevant archaeological sites. One is the burned one, which is said to be the original place of The Aztecsand, although there are several mysteries associated with the place, a study He has focused on analyzing the enigmatic fire pits. It is not known if it is where the Mexicans were born, but they have discovered when they lit and ventured to decipher for what they served. Chicomóztoc. Located in a privileged central area of ​​Mexico, it seems clear that, due to its location, natural resources were abundant, being able to be a strategic area for nomadic peoples to supply. At some point in 300 AD A town settled in the placewhere what would later know as “the burned one” was founded. The site reached its peak towards the 800 AD, when it began to fortify strongly to compete against nearby locations, and took place until 1200 AD It is estimated that it was then when a progressive abandonment and, When the Spaniards arrivedthey found ruins with numerous fire traces. Legend has it that, because of this, they baptized the site as “The burned”And it was Francisco Javier Clavijeroin 1780, who associated the site with the mythological original place of the Mexica: Chicomóztoc. Part of the citadel and pyramid The patio of columns Archaeological zone. Located on a hill, the burned one has numerous architectural remains. Using mortar, stone and vegetable fiber, its inhabitants built a series of buildings whose purpose does not differ from that of many others Archaeological sites from Mexico. Thus, we have defensive structures such as a wall of four meters wide and up to six high, or one 70 -meter long ball courtbeing of the Longer Mexico. Also ceremonial buildingslike the votive pyramid About 12 meters high, the Hall of Columns or an Observatory that would serve to monitor and that could also have had astronomical functions. The function of the different elements is more or less clear, but there is something that has confined archaeologists for a long time: huge holes. The holes. The inhabitants of the burned were built in phases about the old structures, but something that stands out is that the recent analysis performed by archaeologists points out that the holes were used at all times. There are several, but they focused on five of them called from LQ1 to LQ5 and, through the Archeomagnetism techniqueThey have been able to identify when they were active. This technique is like reading a fossil compass that allows you to know how many years a clay or stone material has been very heated. When this occurs, internal minerals are oriented according to the Earth’s magnetic field At that time, being “recorded” the orientation forever. It is something that allows the rocks to be dated and find out when it was the last time that element was heated. Thus, they identified that the LQ4 and LQ5 holes were used in the apogee era, between 675 AD and 903 of the LQ1 was lit between 927 AD and 1101 AD and the LQ2 showed more confusing data, but they estimate that it can be the oldest. And from LQ3 no data were obtained. Mystery. Several theories have been established on their use, some pointing to harvesting ceremoniesothers linked to change of stations and also those that suggest that they were torches for night ceremonies. This mystery will be difficult to solve, but as we read in The green compassLQ1 is the one that has caught the attention of researchers. “Its date coincides with the collapse of the site, so perhaps the rituals persisted until the end, as a symbolic farewell,” they say. In addition, it is the closest to the votive pyramid. The different dates of use of the holes, however, reinforce that theory that abandonment was gradual and that, even in the last moments, “the fire could be a way to keep the memory of the place alive.” As we say, it will be difficult to clarify What kind of ceremonies were celebrated In them, but the next step of the project is to study the rest of holes that have not yet been excavated. Images | Google Maps, Tianiser, Javierdo In Xataka | We have just found a 1,700 -year -old Mayan treasure. The problem is that it should be 1,000 kilometers from there

Colombia’s archaeologists have been fearing looting for years. Now they add a major threat: Guaqueros influencers

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The Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH) launched A statement To celebrate a relevant finding for researchers studying the country’s history: 114 archaeological pieces, especially ceramics, discovered in the south of Huilain the Andean region. So far nothing striking. The funny thing is that these treasures were not found anthropologists or archaeologists, but agents of the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office. Nor were they extracted from an ancient indigenous grave, a pre -Hispanic necropolis or A cave unexplored. No. The pieces were in the houses of two Influencers. It is the last example of a problem that worries the authorities and Colombian archaeologists: the rise of Influencers Guaqueros. Network slopes. Huila’s is just one more example of a phenomenon that has called attention of the Colombian press And he has done Jump alarms Among the defenders of the country’s archaeological heritage: the guaquería through the networks. Or otherwise, the people who are dedicated to lounge deposits and presume the process and the results through Tiktok or other platforms. It is concerned about the damage that they can cause to the Colombian heritage during their excavations, rudimentary and without the supervision of professional archaeologists and anthropologists; But worry about the speaker they find on the networks, which allows them to spread their activity and attract the attention of possible buyers or followers willing to point out the location of other deposits. @Laboyanos.com They capture guaqueros “influencers” in Saladoblanco Huila. They seized 144 archaeological pieces. In an operation carried out in the last hours in the rural area of ​​this municipality, the authorities managed to capture two known men in social networks for making Guaqueria and publishing the findings on their social networks. According to the report, 144 archaeological pieces and a replica were seized that the subjects allegedly passed the community and their followers. According to research, men promoted the looting and illicit traffic of archaeological goods through their publications, because in videos and photographs they were seen taking the assets of their original context, which caused the loss of invaluable information about the history of those objects and pre -Hispanic cultures to which they belonged. #Saladoblancohuila #Huilacolombia🇨🇴 #Guaqueros #Guaquerosencolombia #archeology #Laboyanoscom ♬ Original sound – Laboyanos.com Is it a new phenomenon? Yes. And no. The guaquería itself is not something new. The looting of indigenous graves in search of treasures It can go back To the colonial era, although there are those who point out that the boom of the guaquería would arrive much later, between the end of the 19th and early twentieth centuries. During a time of fact the search for treasures in The guacas (The graves of the ancient indigenous people) became a key activity for the economy of places like Quindó. Its history is extensive enough to Your approachlegacy and impact has varied over time. The guaqueros did not always seek their personal enrichment and in a way they played a key role in the history of archeology. “If it had not existed at the beginning of the 20th century, we would not have San Agustín or Teyuna,” I recently recognized to The country Alhena Caicedo, from ICANH. “At first what they did was find where the great deposits were. In the 19th it was the one that allowed, among other things, that archeology appeared.” What is new is that guaqueros use platforms like Tiktok to show their work, share their findings and disseminate an activity whose impact on heritage They already warn archaeologists. Huila’s is a clear example. According to Incahthe Influencers to those who withdrew the 144 pieces “promoted the looting and illicit traffic of archaeological goods through their publications.” “They were recorded by damaging and looting the goods and then making it public.” Is it common? In An article About the phenomenon published in March, Time He speaks of “hundreds” of videos disseminated over the last years, some with millions of reproductions and that show that the problem has spread to regions such as Antioquia, Huila, Caldas or Cundinamarca. Not just that. The newspaper ensures that between 2020 and 2024 the ICANH identified 13 accounts (some with several hundred thousand followers) related to the guaquería. “Irreparable damage”. What means and authorities do so much attention to the subject is explained for a simple reason: the guaqueros presume from the ceramics they find during their campaigns, but often when they are extracted by a valuable source of information for experts. After all, professional archaeologists obtain data from both the vessels themselves and their surroundings. “The problem with guaquería and improper extraction is that people do not know that the value of each piece is not only in itself, but especially in the context in which it is found,” Underline ICANH director. “The looting of archaeological pieces constitutes irreparable damage to the reconstruction and understanding of the past of the different human groups that occupied our territory,” insist From the Colombian Institute. “This practice produces irreversible losses of unique information about archaeological objects and its sites of origin.” With each looting, experts emphasize, stubble on the study of society, economy, religion and culture of indigenous people. “It’s not about our roots”. In videos you can see guaqueros manipulating mud vessels, necklaces or even bones, pieces that can lose part of their historical value if they are extracted rudimentary and without the supervision of professionals. “Data on the history and rituals of the indigenous peoples who inhabited these lands are being lost. It is not only about objects, but of knowledge about our roots,” warns Juan Pablo Ospina, coordinator of the ICANH Archeology Group in an interview in Huila Diario. Beyond the impact it may have for Colombian history, the looting of heritage can lead to legal consequences, such as warns The ICANH, who recalls that Law 397 of 1997 establishes that the pieces with archaeological value are “unattainable, imprescriptible and inalienable.” “Its alteration, undue manipulation, marketing or unauthorized export can generate irreversible effects and carry economic sanctions of up to 500 … Read more

Archaeologists are recovering them in a counterreloj

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Five years ago, NASA published a document as imposing as sad: a Timelapse that showed how Alaska glaciers have melted For half a century. It is not something exclusive to them, since, as The average temperature has increasedglaciers around the world They have diminished. And this, in addition to Increase sea levelallows us to take an eye on the past. The reason? The glaciers are full of garbage, objects and human remains of thousands of years ago. Ötzi. That glaciers lose ice implies that they expose everything that was used once. When that white layer goes, The bodies appearand perhaps, everyone’s most famous is Ötzi. NicknamedIce man‘, Ötzi was a man who died 5,000 years ago in the Ötzal Alps. It was discovered by a couple of mountaineers in 1991 and relevant for several reasons. Ötzi reconstruction. Not so bad to be 5,000 years old The first, because before their finding, archaeologists had not sought in the glaciers because they assumed that, as archaeologist Andreas Putzer affirms BBC“Humans could not pass by because the land was very difficult.” The second, because it was the best preserved ancient body in history. It is something that allowed to rebuild his body, study the reason for his death, Your tattoos And the objects that carried, such as the arch, the arrows, their clothes, tools and bear skin hat. And the third is obvious: the glaciers were losing their ice, exposing elements of the past. Digging up the past. It is not a case as extreme as Ötzi’s, but this corpses that emerge in the thaw It is almost everyday something. Passers -by and ski stations workers are running in Switzerland with corpses that have been there decades. Some, even since World War II. This is the case of Marcelin and Francine Dumoulin, two farmers who went out for a walk along the mountain, suffered an accident in August 1942 and there they stayed. Until Their bodies emerged in 2017. What was wearing Nothing new. In 2012, two British mountaineers who toured the Aletsch glacier found human remains in the middle of the road along with several boots, clothing and mountain equipment. In 2014, near the top of Matterhorn, more than 4,000 meters of altitude, the remains of a British mountaineer disappeared in 1979 were located. That same year, the body of a Czech explorer lost since 1974 was also recovered. In 2016, the thaw of the Morteratsch glacier revealed the remains of a German skier that had been lost in 1963. And, in 2019, another group of mountaineers ran into human remains also in Matterhorn. On this occasion, they were two Japanese climbers missing in 1970 to about 2,800 meters of altitude. Reconstruction of the objects carried Ötzi Not only bodies. They are examples, among many others, of the human remains appeared throughout these years due to the increase in temperatures. But, although recovering those bodies is important, so are the objects that have come to light because it allows us to rediscover the story or relocate the date on which a technology that we consider later, appeared for the first time. Thus, we have found many arrows Prehistoric with stone tips and intact feathers used in hunting, tools such as canes, stakes or hunting utensils, clothing leather that allow us to know the techniques of making stone. Artifacts that suggest spiritual practices, the Ötzi axa comb for lice and rackets To walk in the snow of 1,700 years ago or Roman coins. Also animals with intact internal organs, such as a slut of 4,000 years ago or the bone marrow of a reindeer 4,200 years ago. Bad matter. For archeology, it is a blessing. Ice allows you to conserve organic materials that would not survive in other environments, which allows you to study with great detail how they lived millennia ago. But it is evident that the underlying problem is much more important: climate change seems not to stop, which glaciers melt is one of the dire consequences and that these remains appear forces archaeologists to work against the clock. An example of thaw: the Bouldert glacier, which has backed up more than 400 meters in 30 years Turning off the freezer. Thomas Reitmaier is the director of the archaeological service of the Canton of Grisons, in Switzerland, and in the same article he comments that the thaw and what we are finding is similar to “leaving the freezer open. At some point, the frozen meat rots and disappears”. In fact, and taking into account that many of the discoveries have been made by chance, Reitmaier asks for community help to get all possible archaeological samples before they disappear. “We need to call to the public, who are going to the Alps, so that they let us know if they see a possible finding, because these areas are enormous and we cannot control them all,” says the researcher, adding that you have to save everything that can be known since “even the smallest object can tell an exciting story.” Planetary registration. Reitmaier’s fear is that this archeology of glaciers is “a very short field: Once ice disappearswe will not have that architect file. ”But beyond the amount of human objects that are being discovered, this phenomenon implies that we can also know more about our planet. Glacier ice contains information About the abrupt climatic changes that occurred thousands of years ago, which can help us understand historical patterns, but also to understand that opening a factory in Manchester It has an impact on the other side of the world. And, if in addition to exploring glaciers in search of remains, We stop turning them into a landfillbetter than better. Images | Wolfgang Sauber, 120, Mauri Pelt, Davemor In Xataka | Three hours of tail at 8,848 meters high: Everest is already another tourist monster

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