The 1,700-year-old death mask of a Maya ruler, found and assembled by Provost Diane Chase and Professor Arlen Chase. The Chases pieced it together from scattered pieces of jade and spondylus shells they discovered in the tomb at Caracol along with the ruler's remains.
The spectacular discovery in Caracol of the 1,700-year-old tomb of Te’ Kab Chaak, founder of the Maya kingdom’s ruling dynasty, by 91ÁÔĆć archeologists, has been named one of the year’s most exciting finds by the editors of .
91ÁÔĆć Provost Diane Chase and Professor Arlen Chase, professor of anthropology and chair of Comparative Culture Studies at UH, capped off 40 years of excavation in Belize by finding this rarity in 2025.
“It is one of our most important finds,” said Provost Chase. “We found the first person in the dynasty so that, in itself, in terms of the history of Caracol is huge, and it’s incredible that we could identify him as a ruler.”
“I was just amazed when I saw it,” said Professor Chase, who first peered into the tomb and saw the red cinnabar on the walls, denoting a tomb of prominence, along with elaborate vessels and jewelry that were buried with the ruler.
Recently the Chases pieced together pieces of jade and spondylus shells they discovered inside the tomb, buried with the ruler, that likely form one of the oldest royal death masks in the Maya civilization. The mask itself has helped with the identification of the find.
“The mask tells us it is definitely a ruler,” said Professor Chase. “We would not have identified the tomb as a ruler without that mask.”
Archaeologists Diane and Arlen Chase review pieces of the mask they discovered in Caracol.
The magazine ranking is having an international impact.
“The Belize Institute of Archaeology and the National Institute of Culture and History are thrilled to have the Te’ Kab Chaak tomb featured in Archaeology Magazine’s Top 10 finds for 2025,” said Melissa M. Badillo, director of the Institute of Archaeology in Belize. “This brings so much awareness to the research at Caracol which continues to highlight not only the history of the site, but also the important regional relationships that were a part of its development. We are excited to continue to work with the Chases and the Caracol Archaeological Project in the research and development of one of Belize’s treasured cultural heritage destinations.”
Always reaching for the next great find, the Chases now await results of radiocarbon dating of bones to confirm dates and stable isotope analysis, which could give a detailed look at the ruler’s lifestyle, including his diet and whether he was a local. Oxygen and food in the bone will prove helpful there.
“The question is how do we better contextualize this? I don’t think we’re going to find another ruler, but what else can we find that dates to that time period now that helps us understand that story better?” asked Provost Chase.
Archaeology Magazine has been published continuously for more than 75 years by the Archaeological Institute of America, which is dedicated to supporting archaeological inquiry and to fostering the pursuit of knowledge about human heritage.
Read more on the find, the Chases and historical context:
July 10, 2025 | Press Release
91ÁÔĆć Archaeologists Discover Tomb of First King of Caracol
91ÁÔĆć archaeologists have uncovered the tomb of Te K’ab Chaak, the first ruler of Caracol and founder of its royal dynasty. The discovery reveals early Maya political history and connections with Teotihuacan, offering new insight into ancient Mesoamerican culture.