Archaeologists enter royal tomb in Palenque

A multidisciplinary team from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) first entered a burial chamber in Temple XX at Palenque in southern Mexico, 13 years ago. The tomb contained the remains of one of the first rulers of the ancient city – K uk Bahlam I - who came to power in 431 AD and founded the dynasty which included the famous Mayan ruler Pakal.

Birthplace of a dynasty

Before the small group of specialists entered the tomb, a tiny video camera was inserted to view the condition of the frescoes last seen in 1999 during the work of the Institute of Pre-Columbian Art Research and again briefly in 2011.
Archaeologist Arnoldo Gonzalez Cruzwho who made the discovery of the tomb of the Red Queen in Palenque in 1994, along with restorer and fellow archaeologist, Rogelio Rivero Chong, decided to re-examine and further conserve the Temple XX tomb, located in the South Acropolis of Palenque in the land of Lakamha or “Place of the Great Waters”.
We are at the birth of the Palenque dynasty, around 400 AD, and likely looking at the funerary enclosure of its founder; although this continues to be speculation pending further archaeological exploration,” explained Arnoldo Gonzalez. “Even this space could be an antechamber, we do not yet know if there are lower chambers. “
On the floor of the chamber, no skeletal remains have yet been spotted; however, already visible are eleven vessels and about a hundred smaller artefacts such as beads, mostly green stone, possibly jade and the rich red murals decorating the walls.

Brilliant red hues of the murals

Unlike the burial chambers of Pakal and the Red Queen, the chamber or antechamber of Temple XX has yet to reveal a sarcophagus, but the highlight is the brilliant red hues of the murals on three sides, with representations of the Nine Lords of Xibalba, a common theme in the tombs of Maya rulers.
The murals depict mythical characters wearing headgear, shields and sandals. The importance of burial sites from the Early Classic period (400-550 CE), are the rare fresco images and this is one of the few examples of murals discovered in funerary contexts at Palenque.

The murals had only been seen before on video,but now archaeologists, restorers, chemists, architects, photographers and graphic designers, have been able to directly observe the paintings and begin the task of preservation.
Although the multidisciplinary team consists of 60 individuals, the tomb can only contain two or three people at one time – who must also wear Tyvek coveralls (to avoid any contamination). Humidity and temperature, is strictly controlled to remain at 25 ° centigrade.

Conservation of the murals within the royal tomb. Image: INAH

The burial chamber is rectangular, measuring 3.40 m long, 1.43 wide and 2.50 m high and project members will enter this main chamber by a smaller one that is located on the west side.
Although the wealth of archaeological materials from the tomb of Temple XX is clear, they will not be retrieved during the stabilisation of the mural. Early studies show a high concentration of mercuric sulfide or cinnabar, a pigment that was highly valued in Mesoamerica and often used in funerary images.
The conservators will record, photograph and draw the murals before consolidating the weakened borders where collapse has

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