Discovered extremely rare jade pendant of the Mayan King

Archaeologists discover ancient jade pendant of Mayan King 1,390 years ago.

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In 2015, an excavation at Min Pi Punit, Belize was conducted by UC San Diego archaeologist Geoffrey Braswell. Recently, this same archaeologist made a publication about the meaning of the pendant and the life of the ancient Maya.

This is the second largest jade pendant found in Belize with ancient inscriptions, about 17.7cm wide, 10.4cm thick with a 0.76cm thread. Braswell said: "We expect something magical like the Mayan story behind this pendant."

Archaeologists discover ancient jade pendant of Mayan king 1,390 years ago.

Cultural icons

In 2015, Braswell and his colleagues excavated a palace built around 400 AD. Inside the tomb, archaeologists discovered ceramic jars, large stones, and a jade pendant that may have been used for the first time in a ritual to bring wind and rain, considered sacred traditional Mayan rituals.

The pendant is engraved with the symbol “ik,” which researchers believe stands for “wind and breath.” The inscription on the jade suggests the artifact was likely used in a ceremony from 672. According to Braswell, the pendant may have been a sacred object buried as an offering to the Wind God.

The pendant is engraved with the symbol "ik," which researchers believe stands for "wind and breath." (Photo: UC San Diego Publications)

"When the Maya dynasty collapsed, climate changes such as droughts led to the abandonment of the Maya civilization. The rains came more frequently and reminded us of the dangers of climate change," said Braswell.

Scientists revealed that the writing on the jade surface is written in the common Mayan characters, this is the oldest writing discovered in the area. However, they still need time to understand the mysterious story behind the precious jade.

According to Khoahoc.tv