Guatemala: 'Extraordinary' Mayan frieze found

[Judi Lynn]

3. The enormous Mayan mythical carving discovered inside an ancient pyramid that hints at a power strug

The enormous Mayan mythical carving discovered inside an ancient pyramid that hints at a power struggle between the Snake Kingdom and the Tikal rulers

• An ancient frieze found in a 20 metre tall pyramid in Guatemala, shows the battle of superpowers in 6th Century Central America
  
  
• The Holmul Archaeological Project discovered the carving of figures in a mythological setting, while a Harvard scholar deciphered the glyphs
  
  
• The carving shows three human figures wearing elaborate bird headdresses and jade jewels seated cross-legged
  

By Sarah Griffiths
PUBLISHED: 06:56 EST, 8 August 2013 | UPDATED: 11:33 EST, 8 August 2013

A huge stone carving crafted by the ancient Mayan civilisation that has been hidden inside a pyramid in Guatemala for centuries, shows a battle of superpowers in 6th Century Central America, archaeologists have said.

The giant frieze featuring inscriptions and brightly coloured painting was discovered last month at a dig in the north east Peten region of the country at the Holmul archaeological dig.

The archaeologists believe evidence suggests that the rulers of the region were embroiled in a political clash of the titans between the kings of Kaanul - the Snake Kingdom - and the kings of Tikal.

The frieze, which is eight metres wide and two metres tall and stands along the exterior of a multi-roomed rectangular building, was found in a 20 metre high pyramid built in the 8th Century, in a style typical of the Maya.

Much of the building still remains encased under the rubble of the later 20m-high structure. The carving is painted in red, with details in blue, green and yellow.

More:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2386763/Mayan-frieze-mythical-carving-discovered-inside-ancient-Guatemalan-pyramid.html#ixzz2bPpUEJmg