Mayan Jade pendant with unique inscription found in Belize

A group of scientists unearthed a large piece of carved jade pendant inscribed with a historical text describing its first owner. The pendant once belonged to an ancient Maya king.

The T-shaped pendant is remarkable for being the second largest Mayan jade found in Belize to date.

The jewel, a jade pendant worn on a king’s chest during key religious ceremonies, was first discovered in the year 2015 in Nim Li Punit in southern Belize.

Key highlights

• The pendant measures 7.4 inches in width, 4.1 inches in height and 0.3 inches in thickness.

• The pendant is the only one known to be inscribed with a historical text.

• On the back of the pendant, 30 hieroglyphs about its first owner are carved.

• The front of the pendant is carved with a T. It is the Mayan glyph “ik” which stands for “wind and breath.”

• The pendant was buried in a T-shaped platform.

• A vessel with a beaked face, probably a Maya god of wind, was also unearthed with the pendant. Researchers estimated that the pendant was buried as a dedication to the wind god.

About Maya Civilization

• The Maya civilization was a Mesoamerican civilization developed by the Maya peoples.

• The civilization is noted for its hieroglyphic script, which is the only known fully developed writing system of the pre-Columbian Americas.

• The civilization is also known for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar and astronomical system.

• The Maya civilization developed in an area that covers southeastern Mexico, all of Guatemala and Belize, and the western portions of Honduras and El Salvador.

• The Preclassic period (2000 BC to 250 AD) saw the establishment of the first complex societies in the Maya region.

• The first Maya cities developed around 750 BC. These cities possessed monumental architecture by 500 BC.