Unveiled After Centuries: The Mysterious Ancient Maya Tattooing Tools Found Deep Inside a Belize Cave
The Only Maya Tattooing Tools Ever Found Are Unearthed Inside Actun Uayazba Kab Cave In Belize
According to a study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, archaeologists from Denmark and the United States discovered the tattooing tools at Actun Uayazba Kab cave in Belize, also known as Handprint Cave. They were found on a ledge above a limestone pool, near human remains and various ritual items including precious stones.
The two tools, which researchers called “burin spalls” (burin is a kind of engraving tool) are elongated and sharpened pieces of chert, a kind of flint historically used to make sharp tools or to spark a fire. Researchers believe that the two objects date back to the Maya Classic period that spanned 250 to 900 C.E.
They appear to be tattooing tools, and not some kind of other sharp tool, because researchers found traces of what appears to be soot-based ink on their tips.
W.J. Stemp/C. HelmkeThe ancient Maya tattooing tools found in Handprint Cave in Belize.
To further investigate whether or not these were indeed tattooing tools, the researchers performed an experiment. They created a duplicate of the burin spalls and used it to tattoo fresh pig skin (the animal skin closest to that of humans). Afterward, they found the same wear pattern on the “new” burial spall as was found on the “old” ones.
It’s a thrilling discovery, not only because it’s an historical first, but also because of the important role that tattoos played in Maya society.
The Important Role Of Tattoos In Maya Culture
The Maya lived in Mesoamerica between roughly 2000 B.C.E. and 1600 C.E., with the most important era (the Classic period) spanning 250 to 900 C.E. During this time, tattoos played an important role in Maya society.
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