Tomb Of The Red Queen...!

Often the quest of archaeologist leads to more questions about the past than it answers. Here is the story about the tomb of the so-called "Red Queen" from Listverse.

The Red Queen

Photo credit: mercadosobreruedasnosotros.blogspot.com

In 1994, archaeologist Arnoldo Gonzales Cruz and his team discovered a burial chamber in Temple XIII in the ruins of Palenque in Southern Mexico. Inside the chamber, they discovered a sarcophagus and an intact tomb. At one end of the sarcophagus, they found the skeleton of a young boy; at the other, they found the skeleton of a woman in her thirties. It is thought that they were sacrificed in order to accompany the woman whose remains were found inside the sarcophagus to the afterlife.

The skeleton inside the sarcophagus was covered in red dust, leading to it being nicknamed the Red Queen. Alongside it, Cruz and his team found a collection of jade and pearl objects. A diadem of jade beads was found around the skull as well as remains of what had been a funeral mask. Unfortunately, none of the findings pointed to the identity of the woman. Studies conducted on the remains revealed that she had been around 60 when she died and that she loved eating meat. It is believed that she was an important person, considering that her burial chamber was located next to that of Pakal the Great. The remains have since been returned to Palenque, and the research into her identity continues.

Being so close to halloween, this Monday Mystery seemed appropriate. Who could resist tombs and skeletons, and the like... Especially when those tales come so close to halloween.

Coffee out on the patio again today.