An image on a stone cover discovered at the archeological site of Ek' Balam in Mexico may shed light on the ancient Mayans.

According to Mexico's Culture Ministry and National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), a mural painting on a stone block used by the prehistoric Mayans as a vault cover has been found in one of the constructions of the Ek' Balam Acropolis.

In the previous year, seven other painted vault covers with a similar style have been discovered in Yucatán, Mexico.

At a press conference led by Mexico's Interior Secretary Luisa Mara Alcalde Luján at the start of September, the discovery was made public.

The recently discovered vault lid was painted red instead of black, in contrast to earlier discoveries. The lid features a "U"-shaped sign that might stand in for a cave with water below as a probable allusion to the underworld, where a snake appears to be making its way in. There is a reptile's head and part of its body visible, which could be related to the serpentine god K'awiil.

Archaeological discoveries at the location, according to Diego Prieto Hernández, general director of INAH, have revealed significant information, including the names of some of the kings of Talol (Ek' Balam), as well as the dates on which the chambers of the royal palace or Acropolis were constructed.

The significance of Ek Balam

Leticia Vargas de la Pea and Victor Castillo Borges, the project's coordinators, claim that this discovery can reveal information about the architects behind the east elevated plaza of the Acropolis as well as the time period in which they were constructed.

Hernandez also emphasized that 27 sites in the southeast and on the Yucatan Peninsula have benefited from the Improvement Program in Archaeological Zones, which has led to significant discoveries.