Tikal Burial 196 Tomb of the Jade Jaguar - Maya Archaeology

There were at least nine groups on the five strands
186
but the exact number is difficult to determine because the
smaller beads by the shoulder were not in their correct positions
relative to one another, but fallen amongst the shoulder
blades and mixed in with parts of the earplug assemblage.
An additional complication occurred when in December, 1965
someone smashed the lock on the tomb door and stole an undetermined
number of pieces of the jade necklace. The number is
undetermined because the necklace had not yet been completely
excavated. The robbery happened the day after nine workmen
had been fired and the first day of the Christmas vacation when
all the workmen left camp.
Rather than include the measurements for each bead two
drawings of the necklace and several color photographs are
included to give the reader an idea of the size and shape of
the necklace as a whole and the individual pieces.
The jade was not all perfectly matched and seems to
have come from several locations. Mrs. Easby saw the jade in
the tomb and pointed out a bluish piece that she thought came
from the state of Guerrero, Mexico.
Over many of the pieces of jade were the clear remains
of a cloth or hide with cinnabar on top. Under the cloth was
a layer of rotted material. Under the jade were two or three
layers of cloth (?); and under the cloth, over the bone, was
cinnabar. The covering over the jade is believed to be the