Archaeologists from the University of Houston, in collaboration with the Belize Institute of Archaeology, discovered the 1,600-year-old tomb of Te K'ab Chaak, the first known ruler of the ancient Maya city of Caracol. The find marks the first identifiable royal tomb unearthed at the site in over four decades of excavation, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
Te K'ab Chaak ascended to the throne of Caracol in 331 CE and is recognized as the founder of the city's royal dynasty, which lasted over 460 years, as reported by the same source.
The tomb was found deep within Caana, the city's massive pyramid known as the Sky Place, which rises 141 feet high and remains one of the tallest structures in Belize today. Inside the tomb, archaeologists uncovered an array of offerings and treasures, including eleven ceramic vessels, jadeite jewelry, a mosaic jadeite mask, Pacific spondylus shells, seashells, and carved bones.
Analyses of the skeletal remains suggest that Te K'ab Chaak died at an advanced age. Arlen F. Chase and Diane Z. Chase, archaeologists who have been excavating Caracol for over 40 years, estimated that he stood about 5 feet 7 inches tall and had lost all his teeth by the time of his death.
“This is one of our most important finds. We found the first person in the dynasty. That, in itself, in terms of the history of Caracol, is huge,” said Diane Chase, according to IFLScience.
The discovery also sheds light on the connections between Caracol and the distant city of Teotihuacan, located about 750 miles away in central Mexico. The Chases' findings suggest that initial kings at Maya cities, including Te K'ab Chaak, were engaged in formal diplomatic relationships with Teotihuacan.
“Both central Mexico and the Maya area were clearly aware of each other's ritual practices, as reflected in the Caracol cremation,” said Arlen Chase, noting the extensive contact between Caracol and Teotihuacan, as reported by Live Science.
One of the key findings supporting this early connection is a cremation discovered in 2010 at the center of the northeastern plaza of the Acropolis. The pattern of cremation and its location are practices associated with Teotihuacan rather than the Maya, explained Diane Chase, who is also Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Houston.
The tomb of Te K'ab Chaak was found beneath a funerary chamber discovered in 1993, at the base of a royal family shrine in the Northeast Acropolis. Among the artifacts were pottery vessels depicting a Maya ruler holding a spear while receiving offerings. Other pots feature depictions of a hummingbird, a monkey, an owl, and bound prisoners—a motif that also appears in two related burials.
“Te K'ab Chaak and his successors were not isolated figures. They engaged in formal relations with Teotihuacan, suggesting that cultural exchange was reciprocal and deliberate,” said Arlen Chase, according to ARTnews.
Researchers found two additional vessels with lids shaped like coati heads, an animal that Te K'ab Chaak's successors incorporated into their names as a symbol of power. The coatimundi motifs were adopted by later rulers of Caracol, reinforcing their connection with royalty and sacred lineage.
“This is an extremely important discovery,” said Francisco Estrada-Belli, an archaeologist at Tulane University and a National Geographic Explorer who was not involved in the research, as reported by National Geographic.
The ruins of Caracol, now nestled in the highland jungle of Belize's Cayo District, include pyramids, monuments, a ball court, and artifacts. At its peak, Caracol had an estimated population of over 100,000 inhabitants, with the urban area extending about 10 kilometers.
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