Mayan ruler's tomb discovered in Belize. Find sheds new light on the ancient world of Mesoamerica.

The approximately 1,700-year-old tomb contained the body of a ruler buried with rich furnishings, attesting to his exceptional position. Archaeologists discovered, among other things, a rare mosaic death mask made of jadeite pieces, luxurious ornaments such as earrings made of the same stone, shells from the Pacific coast, and numerous ceramic vessels with symbolic meaning. Some of these vessels were in the form of animals – owls, monkeys, and distinctive coatimundi – mammals resembling a cross between a raccoon and a lemur.

This is the first discovery of its kind at Caracol, the largest Mayan archaeological site in Belize. The ruler has been identified as Te' K'ab Chaka, who took the throne in 331 AD and, according to researchers, founded a dynasty that would last for centuries. Caracol was relatively small at the time, but it eventually developed into a massive center with a population of around 100,000. Like many other Mayan cities , it was abandoned around 900 AD.

Arlen Chase, who, along with his wife, Diane Chase, has been excavating at Caracol for over 40 years, was one of the first to enter the tomb. He knew from the style of the pottery that he was dealing with an unusually early period in the city's history. The presence of red cinnabar—a mineral associated with elite burials—confirmed the deceased's high standing. However, it was the mosaic jade death mask that gave the discovery a completely different dimension. "Oh my God, this is so much more important than I thought," Chase recalled, according to The New York Times.

Diane Chase, who arrived promptly from the University of Houston, confirmed the exceptional nature of the find. The state of preservation of the remains also caught the archaeologists' attention – anthropological studies showed that the ruler lived to a ripe old age for his time, including losing all his teeth. "We'd never before found someone who could be confidently identified as the ruler of Caracol. That in itself was incredible. And when you add to that the fact that he was the founder of a dynasty – it's a real 'wow,'" the archaeologist said.

Particularly intriguing are the artifacts' connections to other finds from Caracol, dating back to the mid-4th century. One of the tombs in that city contained cremated remains, green obsidian from central Mexico, and a projectile from an atlatl—a spear-throwing device typical of the Teotihuacan culture. Cremation, characteristic of the elites of this ancient metropolis, was unusual for the Maya.

This evidence, according to the Chases, indicates contact between the Maya and the inhabitants of Teotihuacán decades before the famous "entrada" of 378 CE, considered by many archaeologists to mark the entry of central Mexican influence into the Maya lowlands. Although the distance between Teotihuacán and Caracol is nearly 1,200 kilometers, the finds suggest that these contacts existed much earlier. In Te' K'ab Chaka's time, such a journey could have taken over 150 days on foot—today it would take almost 24 hours by car.

Archaeologists point to this as evidence of a complex diplomatic and trade network, one that could be described as a form of ancient globalization. Cities hundreds of kilometers apart were not only aware of each other's existence but also maintained relationships—perhaps through emissaries, political alliances, or the exchange of goods and ideas. These conclusions are consistent with the growing evidence that the Maya created a society with sophisticated political structures and intercity connections.

Not everyone, however, is willing to accept this interpretation without reservation. Dr. Gary Feinman of the Field Museum in Chicago, while acknowledging the groundbreaking discovery, noted in an interview with the NY Times: "They have evidence of a connection to Teotihuacán, but the mechanism of that connection—whether through individuals or ideas—remains unclear. Their interpretations may be accurate, but I'd like to see it clearly presented in a scientific publication before I can fully evaluate them."

Dr. Rosemary Joyce from the University of California at Berkeley also emphasizes that further analysis is needed – including DNA and isotope tests, which could provide information about the origin of the deceased, as well as detailed examination of the ceramics, which will help determine whether the vessels were imported or produced locally based on foreign models.

According to researchers, the disputes will primarily revolve around the pottery, its origins, and dating. These will be key to understanding how and when contacts between distant centers of Mesoamerican civilization occurred.

Despite these doubts, a growing number of researchers are leaning toward the idea that contacts between the Maya and other civilizations—including Teotihuacán—were extensive and long-lasting. Dr. Joyce concludes: "It's far more likely that Teotihuacán sought connections with many places simultaneously than that it reached just one city and suddenly everything changed."

Meanwhile, the Belize Institute of Archaeology plans to display some of the artifacts from the tomb, and the completion of a new road to Caracol will allow greater access to the site. As the institute's director, Dr. Melissa Badillo, emphasizes, the find adds a whole new dimension to the site.