Tikal Burial 196 Tomb of the Jade Jaguar - Maya Archaeology

192
was stolen along with part of the jade necklace when the tomb
was broken into.
Most of the beads lay on rotted material over 1 cm. off
the floor and were coated with cinnabar. Some of the beads lay
on top of a cloth or hide and none of the beads had evidence
of cloth over them which indicates that they were on top of
the bundle enclosing the body.
OFFERINGS OF SHELL
Spondylus Shells Associated with the Spherical Jade Beads
Plan #’s 78 – 104 117A-70 a - aa Figs. 89 Photos 12
Just as the skeleton of Bu. 116 was covered with spondylus
shells so was the skeleton of Bu. 196. Twenty-six
shells were carefully placed over the hide or cloth that
covered the body. Near the shells were usually one or more
spherical beads of jade, just as in Bu. 116. All the shells
had their ends facing west; all the shells were pierced near
their tops; none of the shells seems to have had cinnabar in
them (?); and the shells were symmetrically arranged. Burial
A31 at Uaxactun (A. L. Smith, 1950, p. 97) has numerous sea
shells, several obviously in bilaterally symmetrical positions,
and several with tiny jade beads in the near vicinity.