The Tomb Discovered by the First King of Maya City – History Blog

Archaeologists have unearthed the tomb of Tek’ab Chaak, the first king of the Mayan city-state of Caracol in Belize and the founder of its royal dynasty. This was 350 AD, and it was the first ever recognizable tomb of the ruler in Caracol.

Te K’ab Chaak (Maya’s “Brand Rain God”) ascended the throne in 331 AD and ruled for 19 years before his death. The skeletal remains found in the grave belong to a man about 5’7 inches tall and lacked all teeth, probably due to his age. His tomb is equipped with a wealth of tombs, including carved bone tube beads, three pairs of emerald ear flares (even if one set is found), emerald beads carved in the shape of spider monkeys, Pacific spine shells and other organic materials.

In the graves, there are 11 ceramic ships, many of which are multi-dyed and all are finely crafted. The multi-dye container is vividly applied to the sides and lid. An example is a base flange bowl with a Coatimundi head. The sides of the bowl were painted by two bound prisoners. On the cover is a shabby but recognizable portrait of the Mayan trade god Ek’Chuah, whose portraits are usually not found in the art of the classical period. Another ship depicts a Mayan king holding a spear when receiving the offering.

The most special artifact in the grave is the jade-inlaid death mask. On Mayan websites, they are extremely rare, indicating that the dead are very important. This is confirmed by the grave-covered interior of the grave, symbolizing the rising sun in the east, the only element found in the highest royalty grave.

Archaeologists Diane and Arlen Chase have been digging Caracol since 1985. They discovered the Executive Center and the Royal Palace, which was 141 feet tall during the Classic Period (600-700 AD). They named it Caana and Maya as “Chen Palace”. The artifacts and hieroglyphs discovered over the years of excavation show that from 560 to 680 AD

In 2025, the archaeological team focused on the Northeast Baba Square adjacent to Caana under the jungle canopy.

Their investigation in the northeastern Acropolis of Caracol showed that the tomb of tek’ab chaak was the first of three major funerals around 350 AD, a period of early contact with the central Mexican city of Teotihuacan, about 1,200 kilometers away. By 300 AD, Teotihuacan was a huge city that had traded throughout Central America. […]

Diane Chase said: “Mayan carved stone monuments, dates, portraits and archaeological data all indicate that the events of 378 AD occurred after the events of 378 AD, which occurred in the widespread Pan American media link.”

She said: “Whether this incident represents the actual Teotihuacanos in the Mayan region or the Mayans using central Mexico symbols.

The crematorium placed in the center of the Acropolis Square in northeastern Caracol was restored in 2010 and was radiocarbon analysis traced to AD 350 after the funeral of Te K’aab Chaak and includes artifacts from central Mexico. It contains the remains of three people, as well as two big knives, six atlatl dots and 15 original leaves of green obsidian from Pachuca, Mexico (north of Teotihuacan); central Mexico may also be from several pottery. In addition, the crematorium included a carved Atlatl projectile tip, which was atypical for the Mayans but typical for the Teotihuacan warriors.

Cremation itself and its location in the center of the residential square are also typical practices of high-status Teotihuacano and are inconsistent with the standard Maya burial habits. Based on other ceramics in this cremation, the main individual may be members of the Caraco royal family who adopt ritual practices in central Mexico. This man may even have served as the Royal Mayan envoy, who lives in Teotihuacan and returns to Caracol. […]

These three tombs are buried in the Arctic Acropolis, all of which were in 350 AD, before the existence of the previously recognized Teotihuacan in the Mayan region. They proved that before the Teotihuacan Entrada recorded by the Mayan Monument[s].