Houston Daily

The discovery of a 1,700-year-old Maya ruler’s tomb by University of Houston archaeologists has been named one of the top ten discoveries of 2025 by Archaeology Magazine. The tomb, located at Caracol in Belize, contained the remains and artifacts belonging to Te’ Kab Chaak, the founder of the site’s royal dynasty.

University of Houston Provost Diane Chase and Professor Arlen Chase led the excavation that resulted in this significant find. Their work marks the culmination of four decades spent excavating at Caracol. According to Provost Chase, “It is one of our most important finds. We found the first person in the dynasty so that, in itself, in terms of the history of Caracol is huge, and it’s incredible that we could identify him as a ruler.”

Professor Arlen Chase described his reaction upon entering the tomb: “I was just amazed when I saw it,” he said. He noted signs indicating a prominent burial such as red cinnabar on the walls and elaborate vessels and jewelry.

Among the items discovered were scattered pieces of jade and spondylus shells. The Chases assembled these into what is believed to be one of the oldest royal death masks from Maya civilization. Professor Chase explained its importance: “The mask tells us it is definitely a ruler. We would not have identified the tomb as a ruler without that mask.”

The recognition from Archaeology Magazine has drawn international attention to ongoing research at Caracol. Melissa M. Badillo, director of Belize’s Institute of Archaeology, stated: “The Belize Institute of Archaeology and the National Institute of Culture and History are thrilled to have the Te’ Kab Chaak tomb featured in Archaeology Magazine’s Top 10 finds for 2025. This brings so much awareness to the research at Caracol which continues to highlight not only the history of the site, but also the important regional relationships that were a part of its development. We are excited to continue to work with the Chases and the Caracol Archaeological Project in the research and development of one of Belize’s treasured cultural heritage destinations.”

Inside Te’ Kab Chaak’s tomb, researchers found three sets of jadeite ear flares, 89 separate pieces of jade, and 29 rare shells. Provost Chase created technical drawings for reconstructing these artifacts while Professor Chase assembled them.

The team is now awaiting results from radiocarbon dating on bones found within the tomb to confirm their age. They are also conducting stable isotope analysis which may provide further details about Te’ Kab Chaak’s diet and origins.

Provost Chase reflected on future research directions: “The question is how do we better contextualize this? I don’t think we’re going to find another ruler, but what else can we find that dates to that time period now that helps us understand that story better?”

Archaeology Magazine has been published for over 75 years by the Archaeological Institute of America.

Additional information about this discovery—including its impact on understanding Maya political power and connections with other ancient civilizations—can be found through recent features published by the University as well as official press releases.