Mexican archaeologists explore ancient Mayan tomb

Mexican archaeologists unveiled the interior of a tomb in the ancient city of Palenque this week. Inaccessible for 1500 years, the entrance to the tomb was breached with the help of technology. Let's see how they did it.

With the help of a tiny camera weighing just 94 grams, archaeologists drilled a hole in the roof of the basement and lowered the tiny device five meters into the heart of the tomb.

The dramatic images reveal a tomb coated with red paint and black figures emblazoned on its walls. The remains of a Mayan leader lies on the floor surrounded by 11 pieces of pottery and various pieces of jade and shell that formed part of his funerary costume.

The funeral chamber represents a rare discovery for the site, dating back to the Maya's early classical period of 400 to 500 C.E. It suggests that the remains of the Mayan nobleman inside may provide valuable insight into the ancient city's origins.

Martha Cuevas, archaeologist, said, "This period has not been well investigated in Palenque as the city was growing and the older structures of the city were modified. So it's difficult to identify the original occupation, that is, the birth of the dynasty of this city. So our understanding of the first centuries of occupation is from inscriptions that we have found at the site."

The exploration of the tomb's interior comes as the National Institute of Anthropology and History battles to preserve the Heritage listed area. The site's foundations are undermined by a leveling off of earth in the ancient city and the thousands of tourists who pass through every year.