21 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

INAH archaeologists discovered a nose ornament made of human bone in Mexico

Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have discovered a nose ornament made of human bone in the ancient Mayan city of Palenque in Mexico.

The discovery was uncovered during excavations at House C, part of a palace complex built by Pakal the Great, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) said in a statement.

The nose ornament was made with part of a human distal tibia and is engraved with a scene that expresses communication with the gods and ancestors.

For the first time in the history of explorations in the Archaeological Zone of Palenque, in Chiapas, a nose ornament with an eloquent carved scene was located, an attire made of human bone worn by rulers and priests of this ancient city, during ceremonies in which they embodied K’awiil, the Mayan god of maize and fertility.

The Maya often depicted Kʼawiil holding the promise of “Innumerable Generations” who was part of the Maya rulers ritual inauguration and accession to the throne.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



The nose ornament that researchers found formed part of a ritual deposit that has been dated to the Late Classic period (600 and 850 A.D.) of Mesoamerican history.

For the first time, in Palenque they find a nose ring: it must have been used to personify the Mayan god of corn. İmage credit: Carlos Varela Scherrer

The ancient ornament was found in a stucco floor, where the researchers discovered a pit filled with clay soil and the remains of charcoal. The team also discovered animal remains, obsidian blades, pieces of a bone awl, and a human bone nose ring while sorting the filling’s contents.

According to a press announcement by INAH: “The earth matrix was very dark with a high amount of charcoal and intermingled with seeds, fish bones, turtles, small mammals, obsidian blades, some large pieces of charcoal and, among them, a bone nasal ornament.”

Artifact is of notable aesthetic merit due to its composition; as well as the firmness, precision, and combination of its carving lines, executed in just 6.4 centimeters long by 5.2 wide, and a thickness of 5 centimeters at the bottom, which decreases towards the top.

The nose ring is made with part of a human distal tibia which forms the bony structure of the ankle joint and features a precisely carved scene. In one section of the artifact, the profile of a man can be seen wearing headgear shaped like the head of a bird. In another section, a representation of a human skull without a lower jaw is visible. On the left arm it shows the Mayan glyph ak’ab’, “darkness” or “night”.

According to Arnoldo González Cruz, the director of the Palenque Archaeological Project (PAP), “one of the characteristic features of the divinity is the shape of the extremely elongated head and profile that ended in a point. Therefore, researchers believe the nasal ornament was worn by rulers and priests of the ancient city during ceremonies in which they embodied K’awiil, the Maya god of corn and fertility.”

INAH

Cover Photo: Carlos Varela Scherrer

Related Articles

Bronze belt of Urartian warrior found in the ancient city Satala

29 May 2022

29 May 2022

During the excavations in the ancient city of Satala, located in the Kelkit district of Gümüşhane province in Turkey, a...

Are There Stone Age Megastructures on the Baltic Sea Floor?

11 June 2025

11 June 2025

The western Baltic Sea may conceal far more prehistoric cultural heritage than previously believed — including monumental underwater structures created...

Well-Preserved Funerary Enclosures, Mausoleums, and Gladiator Epitaph Discovered in Ancient Roman Colony of Liternum, Italy

22 March 2025

22 March 2025

Recent archaeological excavations in the ancient Roman colony of Liternum, located in present-day Giugliano in Campania, Italy, have unveiled significant...

Ancient Tombs and 2-Meter Sarcophagus with Hieroglyphics Unearthed Near Aga Khan Mausoleum in Aswan

11 July 2025

11 July 2025

A joint Egyptian-Italian archaeological team has unearthed a significant collection of ancient rock-cut tombs near the Aga Khan Mausoleum on...

Britain’s Longest Ancient Monument ‘Offa’s Dyke’ to be Restored

21 June 2021

21 June 2021

Offa’s Dyke is a long, linear earthwork that roughly parallels the English-Welsh boundary. Offa is also known as the longest...

Olmec reliefs show Ancient Olmec Leaders In Trance-Like State Roaring Like Jaguars

14 August 2022

14 August 2022

Archaeologists in Mexico have discovered two carved reliefs from the late Olmec period (900-400 B.C.) in Villahermosa, Tabasco, southeastern Mexico...

Salt May Have Been Used as Money in Exchanges

24 March 2021

24 March 2021

Salt has always been a precious metal. Salt was needed in many areas, from the preservation of food to the...

The Celts’ Astronomical Secrets: The Chão de Lamas Lunula and the Coligny Calendar Connection

2 March 2025

2 March 2025

A groundbreaking study published in the journal Palaeohispanica has shed light on the ancient timekeeping practices of the Celts, centering...

According to researchers, the bones discovered underneath St. Peter’s Basilica may not be his

5 June 2021

5 June 2021

Three Italian researchers have voiced doubts about whether St. Peter’s bones are buried underneath the Rome basilica that bears his...

Early Anatolian Genes: Genetic Links Between Girmeler Mound and 17,000-Year-Old Pınarbaşı Skeletons

16 April 2025

16 April 2025

Recent archaeological excavations at Girmeler Mound, located near the ancient Lycian city of Tlos in southwestern Türkiye, have not only...

2,500-Year-Old Phoenician Shipwreck Being Rescued By Spanish Archaeologists

6 July 2023

6 July 2023

A 2,500-year-old Phoenician shipwreck has been found underwater in the southeastern Spanish region of Murcia. An extraordinary Phoenician shipwreck dating...

Volunteer archaeologists discovered a 1900-year-old silver military decoration in Vindolanda

17 June 2023

17 June 2023

Volunteer archaeologists have discovered a 1900-year-old military decoration (Phalera) that was awarded to distinguished soldiers and troops in the Roman...

After 1,300 years, water to again flow from monumental fountain in the City of Gladiators in Turkey

30 December 2022

30 December 2022

The approximately 2,000-year-old monumental fountain in the ancient city of Kibyra in Golhisar, Burdur in southwestern Turkey will start flowing...

A new study reveals that “Bog Bodies” were part of a Millennia-old tradition

10 January 2023

10 January 2023

Archaeologists have studied hundreds of ancient “Bog Bodies” discovered in Europe’s wetlands, revealing that they were part of a millennia-old...

2,500-Year-Old Burial Site in Negev Highlands Reveals Ancient Trade Routes and Evidence of Human Trafficking

5 February 2025

5 February 2025

The Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Wednesday the discovery of a 2,500-year-old burial site in the Negev Highlands. This significant...