"Dramatic" New Maya Temple Found, Covered With Giant Faces [ El Zotz ]

National Geographic News ^ | Friday, July 20, 2012 | Ker Than

[SunkenCiv]

Some 1,600 years ago, the Temple of the Night Sun was a blood-red beacon visible for miles and adorned with giant masks of the Maya sun god as a shark, blood drinker, and jaguar.

Long since lost to the Guatemalan jungle, the temple is finally showing its faces to archaeologists, and revealing new clues about the rivalrous kingdoms of the Maya.

Unlike the relatively centralized Aztec and Inca empires, the Maya civilization -- which spanned much of what are now Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico's Yucatán region (Maya map) -- was a loose aggregation of city-states.

"This has been a growing awareness to us since the 1990s, when it became clear that a few kingdoms were more important than others," said Brown University archaeologist Stephen Houston, who announced the discovery of the new temple Thursday.

El Zotz, in what's now Guatemala, was one of the smaller kingdoms, but one apparently bent on making an big impression.

By 2010 archaeologists working on a hilltop near the ancient city center had discovered 45-foot-tall (13-meter-tall) Diablo Pyramid, Atop it they found a royal palace and a tomb, believed to hold the city's first ruler, who lived around A.D. 350 to 400.

Around the same time, Houston and a colleague spotted the first hints of the Temple of the Night Sun, behind the royal tomb on Diablo Pyramid. Only recently, though, have excavations uncovered the unprecedented artworks under centuries of overgrowth.

[bigheadfred]

I looked around. Even over at the Brown website. Pretty much the same limited offering.

[PJ-Comix]

One such diety, Kukulcan, was known by many names by different past cultures.

Kukulcan. I like that name. I'll file it away with the name of the town of Cucuta, Colombia that I visited early this year.

[Puppage]

If Obama had a son, he’d look just like this.

[Errant]

Cucuta, Colombia - sounds like barter opportunities abound.

[oh8eleven]

Covered With Giant Faces

[hoosierham]

As soon as the Muslims win,they destroy the Maya temples. The depravity will continue in the video taping of Muslim “freedom fighters” beheading captives to honor THEIR false god.

[Monkey Face]

LOL!

So did I!

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056725/

Zotz! (1962) Comedy | Horror | Fantasy

Jonathan Jones (perpetual TV actor Tom Poston), a professor of ancient languages, comes into possession of an ancient coin. He translates its inscription, which gives him three powers: to inflict pain, slow down time or kill. Soon, he’s pursued by enemy spies who have learned about the magic coin.

Also stars Jim Backus, and produced and directed by the one and only William Castle.

[JimRed]

Then again, one doesn’t have to imagine too much, given how their ancestors behave these days.

Been watching that new "Maya Ghost Stories" series again?

;^)

[Ditter]

I already know what the ancient astronaut theorist with the weird hair doo is going to say about that carving.........

[dljordan]

“Lots of guys with primitive stone hand tools built these things.
REALLY! NO FOOLING!!”

I was listening to a podcast yesterday where an archeologist was explaining how they used Jade and Obsidian chisels to do it. Seriously.

[Donkey Odious]

I wonder if Ogden Nash ever heard of this name?

“I pity the poor Kukulcan....”

[wildbill]

Don’t miss going to the Natl Geo site on the link and viewing the video.

[Errant]

I pity the poor Kukulcan....”

LOL! What part of "many" names do you gentlemen not understand? ;)

[bigheadfred]

I was listening to a podcast yesterday where an archeologist was explaining how they used Jade and Obsidian chisels to do it.

The description "stupid" doesn't even scratch the surface.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Then again, one doesn’t have to imagine too much, given how their ancestors behave these days.

Surely you meant descendents.

[rdl6989]

Somehow I was expecting a story about another Zot.

[Kevmo]

Thanks for the ping.

My prediction is that this story will be re-posted and it will become the go-to thread for zots, sort of an undead thread for the zotted, viking kitties, road paving beebers, etc.

[thesearethetimes...]

Almost totally off topic, although it DOES include faces, I was just sent a link to a funny/cool site and found a picture that I knew I had to share with you :):)

http://www.retronaut.co/2011/05/celebrity-yearbook/#

Scroll down to Picture 3 if it does not immediately take you there!

May God bless you and yours, and especially your prodigal Alice ; }
Tatt

[Salamander]

OMG...him holding a puppy is kinda scary...LOL

[Pop, Manson and Tyler should petition to have their pix removed]

;D

Thanks...that was totally trippy.