Ancient Portrait Shows 8th-Century Mayan Ruler Facial Deformity
MEXICO CITY -- A portrait of a Mayan king who ruled between
770-801 that was found on a bone earring shows that he had a
facial deformity, Mexico's National Institute of
Anthropology and History, or INAH, said.
Ukit Kan Lek Tok' is closely identified with Ek' Balam, an
important Maya city of the Late Classic Period (600-900
A.D.) in the central-eastern part of the Yucatan Peninsula,
where his tomb is located and the site in which the earring
was found, the INAH said in a statement.
This image, which shows an uneven jaw and a cleft lip, was
part of the funeral offering for the king, who was buried
more than 1,200 years ago, researchers Leticia Vargas de la
Peņa and Victor Castillo Borges, co-directors of the Ek'
Balam archaeological project, said.
Additionally, physical anthropologist Vera Tiesler analyzed
the bone remains of the ruler and determined that the facial
deformities were caused by severe tooth decay.
The individual had plaque and cavities in the 23 teeth found
and suffered three severe infections, one of which caused
him to lose several molars and premolars while he was still
alive.
She also detected that there was a reduction in the height
of his upper right jaw, all of which caused Ukit Kan Lek Tok'
to suffer from a lack of facial symmetry.
The cleft lip could not be seen from the bone remains but
that detail is known thanks to the image on the bone
earring.
"We can say that the bone earring is the only portrait known
thus far that shows the physical aspect of the leader at the
end of his life, since other images show him as young and at
his healthiest," INAH said.
"The mortal remains of the ruler were accompanied by an
elaborate offering consisting of 21 vessels and more than
7,000 pieces of jade, shell, bone and pyrite, as well as
some less common materials like a gold earring in the form
of a frog and three pearls," the INAH statement said.
It is known from other representations of the king found at
different parts of the archaeological site that he was
considered a great warrior.