More than 15 years after scientists discovered the Midnight Terror Cave in Belize, it is still
The cave was used for burialduring the Classic Maya period (250-925 CE) and was named so by the locals. Professors and students have concluded that the more than 10,000 bones found in the cave belong to at least 118 people. Many showed signs of injuries inflicted on them shortly before their death.
Interior of the Midnight Terror cave in Belize with a man in blue for scale. Photo of California State University, Los Angeles
Now to better explore the final points.the lives of the victims, scientists did not look at the bones, but studied the oral cavity, examining the calcified plaque on their teeth - tartar. Archaeologists and paleontologists have found curious blue fibers stuck to the teeth of at least two victims.
Tartar can retain microscopicpieces of food that someone has eaten, such as pollen grains, starches, and phytoliths, the mineralized parts of plants. Cotton fibers have been found on victims of Maya rituals. Some of them are bright blue. Scientists noted that this was a surprise. It is worth noting that the color blue is important in Maya rituals.
Blue fiber, probably cotton, from the Midnight Terror Cave in Belize. Photo by Linda Scott Cummings/PaleoResearch Institute
Some scientists have suggested that fibersleft over from the gags given to the victims. However, other researchers were skeptical about the idea. Perhaps in the future, experts will conduct a more detailed analysis. Prior to this study, blue fibers had been found in agave-based alcoholic beverages from burials in Teotihuacan.
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