The experts presented the hypothesis at the XII International Congress of Mayans organized by the Philological Research Institute of the UNAM.
Experts from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) announced their research on the vaults located inside the main pyramid of the Calakmul archaeological zone, in which they found paintings that probably represent a self-mutilation ritual, the personification of the wind and music, according to the newspaper La Cronica de Hoy.
The researchers Benjamin Esqueda, Daniel Salazar and Ana Garcia were in charge of presenting the hypothesis at the XII International Congress of Mayanists, where they analyzed the painted caves of Calakmul, an architectural complex dating from 400 BC in which two of its constructions they have vaults with paintings.
“Structure II of Calakmul is the largest on the site, it is the pyramid that everyone visits when they go to the area. So, Substructure II is below, there are archaeological exploration tunnels that allow you to enter and reach the southern structure that we named Substructure II C2, which has the best preserved paintings”, says Benjamin Esqueda.
In the year 2022, the researchers searched the vaults of two substructures of the Calakmul pyramid, where they obtained images of black and red paintings.
For his part, in the investigation, Daniel Salazar mentioned an anthropomorphic character that is also found in Mayan murals in San Bartolo, Chiapas. There he is seen with a spear or awl piercing his penis and spilling his blood.
On the other hand, they also found the drawing of an anthropomorphic character with a duck beak and feathers on the cheek that could represent the wind.
The XII International Congress of Mayans, organized by the Philological Research Institute of the UNAM, takes place from June 25 to July 1 in Mexico City in face-to-face and virtual format.
Source: RT
