Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a noblewoman in an ancient Maya cave burial in Belize, surrounded by 226 human teeth belonging to her distant ancestors, the website infohub.kz reports.
An international team of scientists conducted genetic analysis of bones and teeth from ancient tombs and caves. The burial cave dating to between 250 and 400 AD drew particular attention: it held the remains of a noblewoman whose skull was missing — a clay vessel lay in its place. Around the pelvis and spine of the deceased, archaeologists collected hundreds of human teeth.
DNA analysis showed that the teeth belonged to at least 39 different people. All of them were relatives of the buried woman from several generations of her family, and their main burials were located in stone tombs more than 26 kilometers from the cave. Such finds indicated that parts of the bodies of the same deceased individuals were deliberately moved between distant ritual sites.
Scientists found that the Maya revered their deceased ancestors as deities and regarded caves as gateways to the underworld. Noble families deliberately transported fragments of the remains of influential relatives to sacred underground chambers to confirm their high social status and preserve a spiritual connection with the pantheon of gods.