The enigmatic altar containing a child's bones (and not Mayan as previously believed)

A group of archaeologists in Guatemala has unearthed a painted altar dating back approximately 1,700 years in the Mayan city of Tikal , containing at least four skeletons, including that of a child.

Surprisingly, this altar was not built by the Mayans, but by artisans from Teotihuacan, an ancient metropolis located more than 600 miles away, near present-day Mexico City , Live Science reports.

The altar, discovered in a Teotihuacan-style house, features four decorative panels depicting figures with headdresses and nose bars, similar to deities known as the "Storm God" in central Mexico. The images, in shades of red, orange, yellow, and black, match the techniques used in the murals of Teotihuacán.

It features four decorative panels showing figures with headdresses and nose bars, similar to deities known as the "Storm God"

This finding suggests an active presence of Teotihuacán in Tikal during a period of conflict between the two cities. According to researchers, wealthy leaders from Teotihuacán may have come to Tikal and created replicas of ritual installations from their hometown, leaving a strong imprint on the local culture.

Tikal, which flourished between 600 BC and 900 AD, began interacting with Teotihuacán around 300 AD, but the relationship quickly became conflictual. In the 1960s, a stone carving from 378 AD was discovered depicting the probable conquest of Tikal by Teotihuacán. Other nearby remains suggest a prolonged period of conflict between the two cities in the following centuries.

The excavations that led to the altar's discovery began in 2019. Its discovery within a Teotihuacan-style house indicates that Teotihuacan elites maintained a presence in Tikal during that period. The discovery provides new insights into the nature of the relationships between Tikal and Teotihuacan, and how the cultural and political influences of a powerful city could extend and manifest in distant regions.

A group of archaeologists in Guatemala has unearthed a painted altar dating back approximately 1,700 years in the Mayan city of Tikal , containing at least four skeletons, including that of a child.