2003/12/01 by James L Fitzsimmons, A. Scherer, Stephen Houston +1 · 1 citation
Arts and Humanities · Earth and Planetary Sciences · Social Sciences · #Latin American history and culture #Archaeology and ancient environmental studies #Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
paper · doi:10.2307/3557578
openalex publication_date 2003/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Excavation of a small Maya ceremonial structure at the site of Piedras Negras, Guatemala, has revealed a Late Classic period (ca. A.D. 600–900) vaulted tomb containing the remains of a young member of the royal family whom we identify as “Night-time Turtle.” The artifact assemblage from the burial included a modest quantity of carved jade jewelry (38 pieces), an incised vessel dating to the early Yaxché (ca. A.D. 630–680) ceramic phase, and a ceremonial “bundle” of bloodletting implements. Although the sex of this adolescent was not determined during osteological examination, hieroglyphic evidence from a recovered stingray spine suggests that this was a prince, probably the son of Ruler 2 or 3. Placed at an entrance to the royal precinct atop its monumental staircase, his funerary structure was an integral part of the sacred landscape, accessed by visitors to the precinct or to the palace beyond. Following a description of the site, tomb, osteology, and artifacts, we discuss the nature of this landscape and the role in it played by this “guardian” of the Acropolis.