Unaltered ritual “mushroom” discovered. It is a “window into a crucial phase” of the Mayans

Structure found in northern Guatemala is 2,000 years old. At the site, there were children’s graves positioned as offerings, as well as the remains of a man of high social status, seated, with a ray thorn awl.

An international scientific team has discovered a unique Mayan ritual structure at the pre-Hispanic site of El Tigre in northern Guatemala that provides unprecedented data on the complex ceremonial practices and social patterns of that period.

“It is a structure with very unique characteristics that allow us to significantly advance the understanding of ritual practices in these sites of moderate monumentality”, he explained on Monday Julien Hiquetdirector of the archaeological project, at a press conference.

The discovery, which dates back to the Late Pre-Classic period (100 BC – 150 AD) was made by the Lechugal Norte-El Tigre Archaeological Project, made up of experts from Guatemala, France, Mexico and Canada, who worked in the region during 2025 and 2026.

The structure, called ‘Okox‘ — ‘mushroom’ in the indigenous language Q’eqchi’ — is shaped like a keyhole and stands out for its exceptional state of conservation, having remained unaltered by subsequent constructions, unlike other Mayan sites.

According to investigators, the place served as a residential and administrative settlement for thousands of inhabitants.

Excavations revealed children’s graves strategically positioned in the platform’s embankment as offerings, as well as the remains of an adult man of high social standing buried seated, accompanied by a ray thorn awl used in self-sacrifice rituals.

During the presentation of the discovery, the Vice Minister of Cultural and Natural Heritage of Guatemala, Rossina Cazali, emphasized that this discovery is a “window into a crucial phase” of Mayan history.

After being partially dismantled in a symbolic act by its former inhabitants, the Okox structure became an exceptional case study for understanding the diverse power structures that coexisted during the rise of the first Mayan dynasties.