Discover the oldest Maya painting in Guatemala

Archaeologist William Saturno in the United States yesterday said he was amazed to discover that a Mayan painting was never seen in nearly two millennia.

Discovered in the San Bartolo region of Guatemala, the picture covered the entire western wall of a room connected to a pyramid, Saturno said.

With vibrant colors, the painting tells of Maya's creation history. The work was painted in 100 BC, but then covered when the room was filled.

Saturno, now at the University of New Hampshire, announced the area for the first time in 2002, when he stopped in a cellar in a dense forest, which he later discovered was a part of the old room.

Since then, the western and northern walls have been excavated. The remaining walls were knocked down to fill the room. The painting on the west wall is the highlight of the room, which depicts four gods as different images of the god of cereal boys.

Saturno explains: The first god stood on the water and held a fish in his hand - creating an underwater world. The second god stood on the ground and sacrificed a deer - creating the ground. The third god flew in the air, holding a turkey - creating the sky. The last god stood on the same way - the food of the gods - creating paradise.

Another section depicts the god of ceremonies crowning himself on a wooden scaffold, and the last piece depicts the historical coronation of a Maya king. Some words written on it can be interpreted, but most are too old to translate.

Nearby, archaeologists also found an ancient royal tomb of Maya, dating back to 150 BC. Unearthed beneath a small pyramid, the group found a tomb of pottery and bones of a man, and placed a jade card - the royal symbol of Maya on the chest.