Archaeologists working at an ancient Maya city have uncovered a mysterious altar dating back 700 years that could hold the key to unraveling the complex geopolitics of the period.

The archaeologists discovered the enigmatic altar in the ruins of Tikal, a Maya city located in Guatemala.

Although found in Tikal, they believe the altar was not decorated by the Mayans themselves. Instead, they suggest it was crafted by artists trained near present-day Mexico City in Teotihuacan, a powerful city that had a strong influence over the region, located 630 miles away.

Prior to the publication of this discovery in the Antiquity journal, archaeologists already knew that two cultures were interacting, but the nature of the relationship was the subject of debate.

According to a report on CNN International, Professor Stephen Houston, specializing in Maya culture at Brown University, confirms that wealthy leaders from Teotihuacan came to Tikal and replicated ritual structures from their own city.

Houston stated, “This is an imperial story, one that shows how important kingdoms could strechponed others. This new find gives a strong weight to the view that this was not a light contact or only trade. It involved warrior powers who built an outward settlement near the local royal palace.”

RESEMBLING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE “STORM GOD”

Houston and his co-authors from the U.S. and Guatemala began excavations in 2019 after scans revealed structures beneath an area initially thought to be a natural hill. Houston explained, “Only part of this palace is visible from the surface. The rest, especially the lower levels, can only be accessed by tunnels excavated by archaeologists. We typically find floors, walls, and follow them to unearth buried buildings.”

Researchers, through their investigations, uncovered this altar on which each panel bore vague outlines of a person wearing a feathered headdress and traces of bright red, black, and yellow paints. This design resembles other representations of a god known as the “Storm God,” more common in Maya art in Teotihuacan.

SACRIFICED INFANTS FOUND

It was noted that two bodies were buried beneath the altar, one likely an adult male and the other a small child aged between 2-4 years in a seated position, a burial style less common in Tikal compared to Teotihuacan.

Around the altar, three bodies of infants buried in a similar manner to other child burials in Teotihuacan were also discovered. The cause of their deaths was not specified by the authors. Houston, in an email to CNN, said, “The altar confirms the use of Teotihuacan rituals in Tikal and includes people who used foreign, Teotihuacan painting styles to represent foreign gods.”

Houston suggested that some of the artifacts found might have belonged to Maya individuals, but the burial findings indicate close contact with Teotihuacan, perhaps originating from Teotihuacan. He added, “The sacrifice of infants aligns with practices from Mexico.”

“INDICATING THE MAYANS’ COMPLEX SENTIMENTS”

The researchers stated in their articles that these cultural practices signify an increasing Teotihuacan influence in Tikal. Co-author Andrew Scherer, a professor of anthropology and archaeology at Brown, said that burying these buildings, never to be rebuilt upon despite becoming the most important property later, “likely points to the complex sentiments of the Maya about Teotihuacan.”

Scherer stated, “The Maya would regularly bury buildings and then rebuild. But here, they buried the altar and surrounding buildings and left it as it was for centuries, even as the area became the most prominent property. They almost treated it like a monument or radioactive zone.”

“THEY TOOK THE KING, BROUGHT A PUPPET”

This latest discovery reveals another layer of the complex relationship between the two cultures, as was uncovered in recent research. Houston mentioned that in the 1960s, researchers found a stone with an inscription narrating a conflict between the Maya and Teotihuacan, learning that “around 378 AD, Teotihuacan actually beheaded a king of a kingdom.”

“They removed the king from power and brought in a puppet king who proved useful for Teotihuacan,” he said.

“AN ANCIENT STORY THROUGH TIME”

Scherer suggested that this altar was likely erected during a time akin to a coup and eventually brought the Maya kingdom to its most powerful point before declining around AD 900.

Houston indicated that the findings from this excavation reveal an “ancient story through time,” showing how empires competed and vied for cultural influence.

“After the Spaniards arrived, everyone knows what happened to the Aztec civilization… They reached the Maya world because they saw this as a place of extraordinary wealth, with tropical birds for special feathers, jade, and chocolate,” he said. “When it comes to Teotihuacan, it was the land of milk and honey.”