Fit for A King

To an archaeologist, unearthing relics is as incidental as filing tax returns. But last week an excavation among the ancient ruins of Copan, in western Honduras, turned up a find so extraordinary that archaeologists are digging for the proper superlatives to describe it. The discoverers believe that they have uncovered the tomb of a 6th century Mayan king who died before he was 30 years old. Archaeologists stumbled across the temple during a routine dig, and are now calling it the find of their careers. Five hundred tombs have been excavated at Copan during the past 18 years, but only two others have been considered undisturbed royal resting places.

Perhaps the most dramatic aspect of the discovery is the remarkable state in which the ceramic vases inside have been preserved. The colors are vibrant and the decorative motifs almost perfectly preserved. The vases are unique because they were stuccoed and then coated with paint, but not fired. One archaeologist called the condition of the pottery absolutely "shocking."

Examinations of bones and teeth may offer some valuable information about the inhabitant of the tomb. But the key to figuring out exactly who is buried there lies in the hieroglyphics emblazoned on the pots. Expert readers are currently baffled by the mysterious writings.