Mysterious tomb headless of ancient Mayans

Mexican archaeologists discovered below the famous Bonampak mural site a tomb of a mysterious, headless Mayan man.

Bonampak site.Photos: Wikipedia .

The tomb was discovered just below a temple in Bonampak in Chiapas state, Mexico. This temple has three large rooms with lots of Maya paintings inside so it is called a gallery. This tomb was discovered just below the fresco showing a torment.

According to the speculation of scientists, this headless man could be a hero who was taken prisoner so he became a scapegoat. He may also be one of the most extreme figures shown in the mural. He may also be a relative of the city leader.

Emiliano Gallaga Murrieta, of Mexico's Department of Anthropology and Anthropology said: 'No matter who he is, this grave tells us that the person buried here must be a very special person.'

Unexpected discovery after an earthquake

At the time of the birth of frescoes, ie around 790 BC, Bonampak was a city of thousands of inhabitants. At the present time, the most important site of Bonampak is an ancient citadel that lies deep in the rainforest of the excavated Chiapas state. On the road leading to this ancient citadel, there is a famous Mayan temple, which is also where the mysterious tomb was discovered.

This temple has three mural spaces. The frescoes in the first floor introduce a young heir. The second section contains the content of an execution for a hero who was taken prisoner. These include tightly clipped fingers, retracted nails and a headless amputated body. The mysterious tomb of the headless man was discovered in this second time. In addition, the content of the paintings of the third time mainly introduces a ritual of taking blood of the Mayans.

Tomb with a mysterious headless man.Photo: National Geographic .

Bonampak mural relic was discovered in 1946. The discovery has bankrupted many previous views on this mysterious civilization. Previously it was always stated that the ancient Mayan empire was governed by pastors or honest and peaceful astronomers. The discovery of this headless man's grave once again corroborates the cruelty of the Mayan Empire rulers.

During 2005-2007, a series of earthquakes occurred in Mexico. After the earthquake, archaeologists who tried to restore the Bonampak site were devastated. In the most recent radar search, archaeologists discovered under a mural of extreme content is a grave.

Archaeologists announced this important discovery in January. Gallaga said that in the Maya temple or below the Pyramid, there is a complete death for a dead person to be buried. He said: 'The problem now is what we will discover from this grave. What sacrifices are there and who is buried in the grave in the end? '

The mystery about the head is missing

The headless remains found in the grave hurt the archaeologists. The head of the head of a person is buried into a puzzle without solution. According to Gallaga, this grave is quite sketchy, its size is only large enough to hold a corpse and above is covered with a flat white plasterboard.

Through preliminary analysis of the remains, scientists believe that this man is about 35-42 years old and also wearing arthritis. Gallaga also said that this man could very well be beheaded. This is a very common punishment in the ancient Mayan war.

Famous frescoes in the temple at Bonampak site.Photo: Internet .

On the top of the grave, archaeologists also found some jade earrings. They can very well be taken down from the body of the man in the grave. This is seen as a clue to help archaeologists determine the merits of the missing head. The head of the man is most likely to be buried somewhere else.

Gallaga also excluded the idea that the head was taken away by grave-digers. From Gallaga's point of view, jade earrings come to the chain, the bracelet is still in the grave. People who steal graves can completely take them. In addition, the body of this man still carries the jewelry of the shell type. These shells are yellowish purple. Until before the Spaniards came here, they belonged to high-class jewelry.

Gallaga said that another reason to eliminate the head's ability to be stolen is that 'the evidence that shows this grave is a secret event. The Bonampak rulers secretly closed this grave and built a temple all over it. So until before the Spaniards came here, no one opened this grave. '

In the grave, beside the remains of the man there are two pieces of pottery. One is a flower pot with flower plaster and a stone knife. In it, there was a small hole on the bottom of the flower pot. Scientists believe that stone knives and flower pots show holes, they are the Mayan sacrifices. Although absolutely not a sacrifice in the beheading of rituals.

Mayan lineage or enemy?

Until now, scientists are using radiocarbon dating to analyze samples from the remains of men to determine the date in which he lives. At the same time, scientists also conducted DNA tests with this remains to determine the relationship between him and the Mayans in Bonampak.

Picture of execution on frescoes in the 2nd temple. Photo: Internet .

The grave artifacts clearly show that the man buried in the grave is an important figure. However, who is he ultimately? Where does he belong? Gallaga said that, 'Based on the burial items in the grave, we think he is a high-class warrior from the opposition. However, after he was arrested, he was taken as a sacrifice at the temple. '

"The problem is, this remains completely unrelated to the body found in the temple of Quetzalcóatl in Teotihuacán ' , an ancient Mayan city in present-day Mexico City. Can be discovered near the temple of Quetzalcóatl is said to be a prisoner of war used as a sacrifice.

Archaeologists believe that this man may also be a relative of the ruler of Bonampak city around the 8th century, Chaan Muan 2. Bonampak frescoes were formed under Chaan Muan 2 Thus, the clamshell jewelry that this man wears will match the noble image on the frescoes in the first floor.

However, even if this man is a Bonampak, it doesn't exclude him as a scapegoat. Gallaga said that he could die in a battle or die for a natural cause. Scientists will continue to study the cause of this man's death. 'Regardless of what hypothesis is correct, this grave is still a realistic proof of the mural-painted image.'