Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that teeth from elite Maya individuals were deposited in a cave in Belize during the Classic period. The remains, found far from their original burial sites, suggest a ritual practice linked to ancestor veneration and the underworld.
Researchers examined remains from multiple sites in Belize dating to AD 250-900. Genomic data from 341 samples identified 107 individuals, with 24 showing connections between the Plaza Tomb at Muklebal Tzul and Bats’ub cave 26.5 kilometres away.
The cave held 226 teeth from at least 24 people, placed near the body of an adult female whose head had been removed. Grave goods including a jade bead and cacao seeds indicated she was likely royal and an ancestor to those in the elite tombs.
Only members of the highest social level participated in moving teeth to the cave. Experts note that caves represented entrances to Xibalba, the Maya underworld, and teeth held symbolic ties to rebirth and the soul.