Maya

A version of this story appeared in Science, Vol 376, Issue 6597.Download PDF Zunil, Guatemala—As the Sun climbs over a hillside ceremony, Ixquik Poz Salanic invokes a day in the sacred calendar: T’zi’, a day for seeking justice. Before she passes the microphone to the next speaker, she counts to 13 in K’iche’, an Indigenous Maya language with more than 1 million present-day speakers in Guatemala’s central highlands. A few dozen onlookers nod along, from…

The ancient Maya once took enormous pride in their teeth. Long before Europeans were filling their cavities with gold, people in Mesoamerica were flashing grins bedazzled with jade, turquoise, gold, jet, or hematite gems.  Male or female, rich or poor, it appears many individuals visited the dentist as young adults to have their teeth drilled and filled with jewels, precious stones, or minerals.The inlays would have lasted a lifetime and likely had spiritual meaning. But dental bling at this time may not have been purely…

The ancient Maya believed their breath was a link to the divine. To purify it, many people filed, notched, and polished their teeth, some even decorating them with gemstones. Now, a fresh analysis suggests the sealant used to hold these jewels in place may have had therapeutic properties, which could have helped prevent infections. During the Classic period (200 to 900 C.E.), many lowland Maya people in what is now Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico affixed colored stones such as jade,…

Theo Wargo/Getty Images Maya Hawke may have Hollywood royalty for parents, but the actress has made her own name in the industry with breakout roles in the likes of Stranger Things and Once Upon a Time In Hollywood. She’s set to return for the aforementioned hit Netflix series’ new season later this month, but before that arrives, we’re hearing that Hawke has signed up for a new project which just happens to also feature her mom. As per The Hollywood Reporter, Hawke has joined the cast of the upcoming dark comic…