“Lost Treasures: Unearthed Mayan Artifacts Spark New Mysteries Beneath Guatemala’s Waters!”
“[Water] was thought to be the door to the underworld, the world of death — Xibalba, where their gods live,” Krzemień explained.
Her team found hundreds of Mayan-specific relics underneath the waters of Lake Petén Itzá, near the island of Flores. The island was once home to Nojpeté, also known as Tayasal, which was supposedly the capital of the Maya.
The discovery is even more significant as it could represent the last battle before Spanish invaders colonized the Mayans on the island, instead of further west where most written sources believe the pivotal event to have taken place.
“We planned our dives according to written sources and a little bit of intuition. We wanted to check places that seem to be very important in the history of the Itza Maya group,” Krzemień said of the diving expedition.
Underneath the lake’s surface, researchers also found items that were commonly used by the Mayan people for ritual and sacrificial purposes, like an incense burner, glass blades and ceramic vessels, some of which contained animal bones. Another was carved with rites.
National GeographicAn ancient Mayan skull that was used to burn incense.
These items certainly seem to indicate that this location is indeed that of the last battle between the Maya and the Spaniards, as well as the center of ritual activity for the Itza Mayans.
“That is a great beginning to the process of better learning their customs, beliefs, and culture,” Krzemień said. Despite the incredible discovery, the team has remained cautious about pulling immediate conclusions from the expedition without further research.
Post Comment