Researchers carrying out work at a Mayan burial site in Mexico said this week they had found a sealed cave containing human skeletons as well as remains of over 20 animal species – including tiger sharks, blood-sucking bats and several reptiles.
According to a press release from the institute, the research in Tulum is being conducted by Mexico's Federal Ministry of Culture through the country's National Institute of Anthropology and History.
In a walled area on the site, researchers attempting to create a new path between temples found a cave sealed with a large boulder. The entrance to the cave was also decorated with a small sea snail attached to the rock with stucco, confirming that the cave was sealed by the Mayans.
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Archaeologists exploring the cave removed the boulder and found that the stone “literally split a human skeleton in half.” Inside, they found at least two small chambers within the structure, each measuring about nine by six feet and about sixteen inches high. “Eight burials have been registered so far” in these chambers, the press release said.
A researcher on site. Ministry of Culture and National Institute of Anthropology and History
Most of these burials were adults, the researchers said, and the remains found were “in good condition” due to the environmental conditions in the chambers.
The remains will be examined in laboratories affiliated with the National Institute of Anthropology and History.
In addition to the human remains, researchers found “a large number of skeletal remains” of animals where the burials had taken place. The animals included a domestic dog, blood-sucking bats, a deer, an armadillo, several birds and reptiles including a sea turtle, and fish including tiger sharks and barracuda. Remains of crustaceans, molluscs and amphibians have also been found.
Some of the bones showed cut marks, researchers said, while others had been made into artifacts such as needles or fan handles. This is “characteristic of the area,” researchers said.
Ceramic fragments associated with the burials were also found in the chambers.
Research in the chambers was difficult due to the small work area, “almost non-existent” lighting, and high humidity and temperatures in the caves. According to the press release, the cave is also inhabited by insects, “complicating the activities” of the archaeological team.
New technologies, including the use of laser scanners and high-resolution photography, have helped researchers preserve the cave and its archaeological elements, the release said. These tools are intended to create 3D models with “high levels of detail and precision,” allowing researchers to present virtual tours of the cave’s interior.
Research in the cave will continue for the rest of the year, officials said.
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Kerry Breen