Archaeologists unearth rare 7th century mask showing Mayan ruler Pacal the Great in his old age

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient stucco mask thought to depict the face of the Mayan ruler ‘Pacal the Great.’ The remarkable 7th century artifact is unlike most such treasures as it represents the king in his old age, with visible wrinkle lines. Pacal ruled from the time he was just 12 years old, until his death at the age of 80. Researchers unearthed the mask during excavations at the Palenque archaeological site in the Mexican jungle.

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient stucco mask thought to depict the face of the Mayan ruler ‘Pacal the Great.’ The remarkable 7th century artifact is unlike most such treasures as it represents the king in his old age, with visible wrinkle lines

The 20-centimeter (7.8 inch) stucco mask was found by a team with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) during an investigation of the temple’s ancient drainage system.

Palenque sits in the southern state of Chiapas, on the border of Guatemala. Palenque is actually a medium-sized archaeological site, much smaller than the huge sites like Tikal or else Copán, but it contains a few of the finest sculpture, architecture, roof comb as well as bas-relief carvings of the Mayan era.

According to Institute Director Diego Prieto, the mask appears to show the face of K’inich Janaab’ Pakal – also known as Pacal the Great. If it is, in fact, Pacal, the experts say it would be the first of its kind.

The mask includes wrinkle lines around the mouth and cheeks, which would make it ‘the first representation we have of an old Pacal,’ Arnoldo González Cruz from INAH said, according to Mexico News Daily.

If it is, in fact, Pacal, the experts say it would be the first of its kind. The mask includes wrinkle lines around the mouth and cheeks, which would make it ‘the first representation we have of an old Pacal,’ Arnoldo González Cruz from INAH

According to Institute Director Diego Prieto, the mask appears to show the face of K’inich Janaab’ Pakal – also known as Pacal the Great

‘Palenque continues to astonish us with everything it has to offer archaeological, anthropological, and historical research,’ Prieto said. Pacal ruled from 615 AD until 683 AD.

Alongside the mask, the researchers found ceramic figures, decorated bones, and the remains of several animals, including lizards, crabs, and tortoises. The experts say these were likely offerings made for the completion of the building’s reconstruction.

‘Palenque (shown) continues to astonish us with everything it has to offer archaeological, anthropological, and historical research,’ Prieto said

The 20-centimeter (7.8 inch) stucco mask was found by a team with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) during an investigation of the temple’s ancient drainage system

WHO WAS ‘PACAL THE GREAT’?

Known as Pakal the great, K’inich Janaab Pakal I was the ruler of the Maya city state of Palenque over 68 years until he died in 683AD. He is thought to have ascended to the throne at the age of 12 years old and during his rule managed to expand Palenque’s power in the western Maya states.

Buildings erected under his rule are considered the civilisation’s finest architecture. The Temple of Inscriptions was only rediscovered by archaeologists around 200 years ago and was long suspected as a funerary monument to Pakal. However, his tomb was only discovered in the 1950s. Inside was a ornately decorated sarcophagus which depicts Pakal lying on top of the ‘earth monster’.

Inside, archaeologists found his skeleton still intact. His death mask was made entirely of jade with eyes made from mother of pearl and obsidian. Five skeletons were found at the entrance of the crypt, though to be sacrificial victims intended to follow Pakal to the underworld. Research at the site is aided by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation, which provided roughly $500,000 to the effort.

In recent years there have been numerous discoveries that could help to shape our understanding of the Mayan civilization. Researchers recently found evidence that the society’s collapse was brought on by a long period of drought. A team from the universities of Cambridge and Florida analyzed water samples from Mexico’s Lake Chichancanab, where the Maya were based.

Researchers unearthed the mask during excavations at the Palenque archaeological site in the Mexican jungle

WHO WERE THE MAYANS?

The Maya civilisation thrived in Central America for nearly 3,000 years, reaching its height between AD 250 to 900.

Noted for the only fully developed written language of the pre-Columbian Americas, the Mayas also had highly advanced art and architecture as well as mathematical and astronomical systems.

During that time, the ancient people built incredible cities using advanced machinery and gained an understanding of astronomy, as well as developing advanced agricultural methods and accurate calendars.

The Maya believed the cosmos shaped their everyday lives and they used astrological cycles to tell when to plant crops and set their calendars. This has led to theories that the Maya may have chosen to locate their cities in line with the stars.

It is already known that the pyramid at Chichen Itza was built according to the sun’s location during the spring and autumn equinoxes. When the sun sets on these two days, the pyramid casts a shadow on itself that aligns with a carving of the head of the Mayan serpent god. The shadow makes the serpent’s body so that as the sun sets, the terrifying god appears to slide towards the earth.

Maya influence can be detected from Honduras, Guatemala, and western El Salvador to as far away as central Mexico, more than 1,000km from the Maya area.

The Maya peoples never disappeared. Today their descendants form sizable populations throughout the Maya area. They maintain a distinctive set of traditions and beliefs that are the result of the merger of pre-Columbian and post-Conquest ideas and cultures.

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk