European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 14, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Intact burial Sites clues to ancient mayan world anthropologist Richard e. W. Adams examine paintings in Rio anti s Tomb 1. National geographic for 15 centuries the Maya Nobleman had lain Al rest his sleep until of in american Lii Edbis Fork Mno with vhf t in Rio Azul we revived in 1981, when another Archeo Gist discovered the elaborately painted Tomb of an important ruler at the Center of the same Pyramid. The archaeologist was Loo Lale. Looters had beaten him to it. Stripping the crypt of its valuable contents but leaving the tantalizing artwork unblemished. Since then the International archaeological team has Learned a great Deal More about the life of the Maya Al Rio Azul. Sending a0bt.on i fact " � of in bowl tit i a Warrior Frew. The ,, by food Demk. It was a special Center Adams has concluded us population made up chiefly of Noble military families heir aides servants retainers Al ill. Height to writes its population was probably fewer than 3.500. With another 1,500 in the farming suburb North Asl of Lown. The 750-acre City a regional adminis Ratip Center was tilled with an intriguing variety of buildings paved causeways connected massive memorial temples. The tallest 5b Leel High still visible irom the air near the Guatemala Mexico Belize Border. Apart Minli in the hone Palace of the pm c contained Builen Beds other amenities. Palaces houses of diminishing size of elected the social Structure. Talented sculptors painters rendered the Complex images of Maya mythology Roya Ity my u monumental works of Art that served As Bill boards of political propaganda Adams writes. Farmers developed sophisticated cultivation techniques they relied on canals terraces. Swamps were drained dams were built " without the Farmers says Adams. The soaring temples would never Havo risen he his researchers have found an intensely cultivated drastically modified landscape Al Rio Azul. One of the Long standing misconceptions of Maya archaeology has been that Maya civilization existed within dense tropical Lorest much the same As the Enron men to writes. This no appears false. The popular idea of sophisticated Maya cd is Sei within a primeval wilderness is a romantic he says i think Itiat the classic Maya themselves would probably have looked upon today s chaotic Jungle Graw la As a reversion to Rio Azul went through some turbulent times ii apparently was abandoned about . 535 during a period of civil wars. Then it had a few centuries of resurgence. About 830. It was overrun by invaders from the North which May account Lor its sudden depopulation. And it ended of the conclusion of the Maya s classic period much As it had begun As a military outpost today1 continuing destruction of Maya Sites began about 2s years ago. Stimulated by unscrupulous Art Antiquity dealers. Ii started with the removal of sculpture followed by ceramics found in burials such Artil acts continue to be sold to Ivea Dlhy collectors who sometimes buy them As investments. Rio Azul is an intricate network of trenches tunnels dug by looters. The damaging discarding of invaluable remains artefacts raise Zih cult sometimes insurmountable obstacles to the scientists who Are trying to piece together details on one of the world s most fascinating pie Industrial societies 1 the Saddest Story of Rio Azul lies not in its demise for the Rise tall of cultures civilizations cities has paced the human epic from its very Adams writes. Instead ii lies in the depredations that to Azul has suffered at the hands of modern Day saturday june 14, 1986 the stars stripes Page 17
