Sealed cave hiding centuries-old remains of humans and sea creatures found in Mexico

Brendan Rascius
Thu, December 21, 2023

Archaeologists recently made a discovery that has all the trappings of an “Indiana Jones” escapade: a cave, a large boulder, centuries-old artifacts and human remains.

While excavating Mayan ruins in Tulum, located on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, a team of archaeologists found a cave sealed by a boulder, according to a Dec. 18 news release from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

As archaeologists removed the boulder, they noticed it was sitting on top of a human skeleton — its upper body lying inside the cave and its legs protruding outside.

Archaeologists then ventured into the cavern, which was poorly lit, covered with insects and extremely narrow, measuring an average of 20 inches high.

Once inside, they found two small chambers containing the remains of eight individuals, officials said.

Due to the environmental conditions of the cave, the remains were largely well-preserved, officials said. Intact bones and skulls were found embedded in the cave floor, photos show.

Archaeologists also found a virtual Noah’s Ark of deceased animals, which included the remains of dogs, deer, opossum, armadillo, frogs, sea turtles and sharks.

A variety of sea creatures have previously been discovered at Mayan burial sites, including the grave of an adult male, which was filled with over 100 snails, according to a study published in 2020 in the journal PLOS One.

“Such deposits may be a symbolic reference to the Maya belief in an aquatic afterlife,” according to the study.

A snail was also found at the Tulum site. It was glued to the entrance and was considered to be a Mayan decoration.

Additionally, a “significant” quantity of ceramic fragments, likely dated between 1200 and 1550, were discovered inside the cave.

Research on the site, including through the generation of three-dimensional models, will continue, officials said.