Mayan Ritual Cave Found Untouched

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1,000-yr-old Untouched Mayan "Ritual Cave" Found Full of Precious Relics

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A sealed and untouched Mayan “ritual” cave has been discovered in a truly momentous find. Sometimes you start out looking for something and, in the process, you find something else. That’s what happened to a group of archaeologists who were looking for a sacred well underneath the Mayan city of Chichen Itza, according to National Geographic.

While they were searching for the well, they found a collection of over 150 ritual objects that were hidden away for a millennium. The objects were hidden in a system of caves known as Balamku, ‘the Jaguar God.’ The discovery of the cave system was announced in Mexico City last March, by the National Institute of Archaeology and History.

Interestingly, it’s not the first time that anyone has found the cave system. It was first rediscovered in 1966 by local farmers. At the time, and archaeologist named Victor Segovia Pinto went in and took a look around, even going as far as writing a report that noted that there were a large number of artefacts the caves, but rather than being an excavation, Pinto had the farmers seal the entrance again, and any records related to the discovery disappeared.

It remained unknown and undisturbed until 2018, when it was rediscovered again. This time the Balamku was found by an explorer from National Geographic, along with his team. They were part of the Great Maya Aquifer Project, and were trying to find the water table beneath the Mayan city.

While he was creeping his way through a series of small tunnels, the explorer, Guillermo De Anda, suddenly came upon a sizable cache of vases, incense burners, and many other objects that had been left as offerings by the ancient people of Chichen Itza. Even more of a surprise, the collection was in a remarkable state of preservation, despite being surrounded by stalagmites.

More pics and story at site
 
I can’t wait to see pics and hear what the researchers have to say after they go through it all. I hope it doesn’t get stored away forever in the basement of the Smithsonian.