1,100-year-old nose ornament found in Mexico had special purpose, experts say. See it

[Judi Lynn]

BY MOIRA RITTER AUGUST 31, 2023 2:06 PM

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https://tinyurl.com/yssdfj45

The bone nose ring was unearthed from the Archaeological Zone of Palenque in Chiapas, Mexico, according to officials. CARLOS VARELA SCHERRER INAH More than a thousand years ago, a priest in Mexico donned a bone nose ornament and conducted a ceremony in honor of K’awiil, the Mayan god associated with maize and fertility. At least that’s what experts believe happened after they discovered a nose ring made from human bone at the Archaeological Zone of Palenque in Chiapas, according to an Aug. 29 news release from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History. It’s the first find of its kind from the site.

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The ornament was made from human bone, archaeologists said. Carlos Varela Scherrer INAH Experts described the artifact as “una nariguera,” which translates to a nose ring in English. However, photos of the object show that it was more like an ornament that sat atop the wearer’s nose. The 2.5-inch-long and 2-inch-wide adornment is made of a human tibia (leg) bone, archaeologists said. It was likely used by elites, specifically rulers and priests, in attempts to personify their god, K’awiil.

Experts said the bone artifact is engraved with a depiction of a man in a headdress and ornate jewelry. His left arm has the Mayan glyph “ak’ab’,” which means darkness or night. He is holding a long thin object, and beneath him is a human skull and long bones placed on a bundle of cloth.

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The bone ornament was worn atop the nose in an attempt to personify the Mayan deity, K’awiil, experts said. Carlos Varela Scherrer INAH

Read more at: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/nation-world/world/article278827524.html

[Pachamama]

1. And what about the person whose bone it came from?

[Judi Lynn]

4. Prolly won't be needing it wherever they sent him.... Yikes.

I wonder if they were taken from warriors from the other team!

I'm sure wingers would love dragging around "mementos" along the line of items they bagged from the Capitol for the rest of their lives, if they only could, like the lectern one man proudly brandished.

Proof you've really "owned" someone.

Fairly ugly thought!

[MuseRider]

2. That is really interesting.

Do you happen to know if the Mayan people, and others I suppose, originally had that long and flat brow to nose profile? If not I wonder how that profile became so important. Obviously I did not even try to look it up yet or ever think about that until now but you see it all the time and I finally wondered about that....lol so slow sometimes.

[Judi Lynn]

3. No idea, but once you've seen it you don't forget it! Really unique. It's in all their art.

I've spent a lot of time looking at the faces over years in illustrations, wondering about them. Truly distinctive.

[MuseRider]

5. I noticed it a lot during the times

I was hanging around the areas. I saw it everywhere, not on the regular people but on a whole lot of the art. I am hardly well traveled but I saw it from Mexico, through Central America but once you got East of that area, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and headed to the Caribbean Islands I do not remember noticing it all that much except for the "old art" either really old or copied art for sale.

The pictures of the young women you posted would make me think it is indeed a common trait perhaps? Likely became desired like the flattened foreheads of some tribes or the crossed eyes (was that Mayan?).

I LOVE the art you have posted. So handsome and just amazing works of art.

My fondest hope has always been that when I die I can see and know about all of these cultures and what it all meant to them, just to understand. I love to read about them but who really knows what all they were all about. I want to soar through the times and see what was up, truly from their perspective.