Recent archaeological discoveries in Guatemala have unveiled that ancient Maya civilizations burned the remains of their dead rulers during political transitions to mark the establishment of a new dynasty. This practice involved public rituals where the bodies of former royals were not only cremated but also desecrated as part of a broader political regime change. Researchers found evidence of these practices in the burnt bones of royal individuals that were subsequently placed in the foundations of a temple. This ritual, believed to reflect political turmoil, is linked to the eventual collapse of the Classic Maya era.
Charred bones are signs of Maya ritual to erase past rulers | Science https://t.co/MZPi41WEIn
Dramatic burning of royal remains reveals Maya regime change @AntiquityJ https://t.co/twHwdbentn
Burnt Remains Of Maya Rulers Hint At Fiery Political Revolution https://t.co/y90gaGo6gw
Finds in pyramid at Guatemalan site suggest that remains were disinterred and desecrated in a public ritual https://t.co/AZBV6X3G8j
Twelve-hundred-year-old burnt remains in Guatemala reflect the political turmoil that eventually led to the collapse of the Classic Maya era in the region, researchers say. https://t.co/1jxxweIcAy
Archaeologists working in Guatemala have discovered the burnt remains of Maya royalty—believed to be the result of a political regime change https://t.co/BLqJz1Skwa
Ancient Maya burned their dead rulers to mark a new dynasty. Evidence for the ritual comes from the burnt bones of royal individuals that were dumped in the foundations of a temple. https://t.co/6NNvw02Zer https://t.co/xFreEjDsSS
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public https://t.co/ZqjFseHmnU
Ancient Maya pyramid holds royal bones burnt in "desecration" ritual https://t.co/uUoiOMHKh3 https://t.co/LsRYkFL4cO
Ancient Maya burned their dead rulers to mark a new dynasty https://t.co/ToDzi7LHYS