Latest news with #Belize
7NEWS
10 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Andres Alejandro Santana Hernandez: Boy mauled to death by crocodiles as his family watches in horror
WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS A boy has died after being brutally attacked by crocodiles in front of his family. Andres Alejandro Santana Hernandez, 14, was walking with his family by a waterway in Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, when he fell into the water on July 18. Tragically, before his parents could intervene, crocodiles hidden by the swamp waters launched at him and dragged him beneath the surface. In a vicious attack, they pulled the boy further from the water's edge and began tearing into his body. Andres' family watched in horror as the boy was brutally killed. The Mirror reported that it is believed the boy was attacked by a group of Morelet's crocodiles, also known as the Mexican or Belize crocodile, which can grow up to three metres long and typically weigh a staggering 200kg. The species is known for being particularly vicious, and once they reach maturity, they will prey on nearly any animal that enters their territory. Police divers have begun to search the canal for the boy's remains, but it is unclear if they have managed to recover his body. Warnings have been issued, and authorities have urged people to avoid visiting the area, citing the unpredictability of the crocodiles. Since news of the tragedy, tributes have been flowing for Andres, who was actively involved in the local community. He was an altar boy at and a part of a community marching band run by the Cortazar Fire Department. Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, where Andres served, has paid tribute to the boy. 'With deep sorrow, but with our hope placed in our Lord Jesus Christ, who has Risen and is the Lord of life, I earnestly ask you to join in prayer for the eternal rest of Andres Alejandro Santana Hernandez, altar server of the main parish, who has been called to the house of the Eternal Father,' a parish statement read. The public have taken to social media to express their shock and pain at the sudden loss of Andres. 'He was a Monaguillo (altar boy), a child full of faith, tenderness and hope,' one Facebook user wrote. 'The departure of Andrés Alejandro shows the importance of every glance, every hug, every moment of protection. May their memory be a beacon to keep those we love most safe,' another user wrote.
Perth Now
13 hours ago
- Perth Now
Boy mauled by crocodiles as family watches in horror
WARNING: GRAPHIC DETAILS A boy has died after being brutally attacked by crocodiles in front of his family. Andres Alejandro Santana Hernandez, 14, was walking with his family by a waterway in Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, when he fell into the water on July 18. Tragically, before his parents could intervene, crocodiles hidden by the swamp waters launched at him and dragged him beneath the surface. In a vicious attack, they pulled the boy further from the water's edge and began tearing into his body. Andres' family watched in horror as the boy was brutally killed. The Mirror reported that it is believed the boy was attacked by a group of Morelet's crocodiles, also known as the Mexican or Belize crocodile, which can grow up to three metres long and typically weigh a staggering 200kg. The species is known for being particularly vicious, and once they reach maturity, they will prey on nearly any animal that enters their territory. Police divers have begun to search the canal for the boy's remains, but it is unclear if they have managed to recover his body. Warnings have been issued, and authorities have urged people to avoid visiting the area, citing the unpredictability of the crocodiles. Since news of the tragedy, tributes have been flowing for Andres, who was actively involved in the local community. He was an altar boy at and a part of a community marching band run by the Cortazar Fire Department. Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish Church, where Andres served, has paid tribute to the boy. 'With deep sorrow, but with our hope placed in our Lord Jesus Christ, who has Risen and is the Lord of life, I earnestly ask you to join in prayer for the eternal rest of Andres Alejandro Santana Hernandez, altar server of the main parish, who has been called to the house of the Eternal Father,' a parish statement read. The public have taken to social media to express their shock and pain at the sudden loss of Andres. 'He was a Monaguillo (altar boy), a child full of faith, tenderness and hope,' one Facebook user wrote. 'The departure of Andrés Alejandro shows the importance of every glance, every hug, every moment of protection. May their memory be a beacon to keep those we love most safe,' another user wrote.
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- General
- Gizmodo
Archaeologists Discover Tomb of Maya King Who Founded a 460-Year Dynasty
A team led by University of Houston archaeologists Arlen Chase and Diane Chase—a married couple about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary—has discovered the fourth-century CE tomb of an ancient Maya ruler. Talk about a power couple. The Maya ruler in question was Te K'ab Chaak, the first ruler of Caracol, an important Maya city that ruled the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula from 560 through 680 CE before it was abandoned by the 10th century. Caracol is now the largest Maya archaeological site in modern-day Belize. Te K'ab Chaak rose to the throne in 331 CE and started a royal dynasty that would last over 460 years. Around 350 CE, he was buried at the base of a royal family shrine along with mortuary objects such as jadeite jewelry, a mosaic jadeite mask, carved bone tubes, Pacific spondylus shells, and pottery vessels. The pottery featured scenes including a ruler receiving offerings, the Maya god of traders, and bound captives. Te K'ab Chaak died at an 'advanced age,' according to a University of Houston statement, with no remaining teeth and standing at around 5 feet 7 inches (170 centimeters) in height. The tomb is one of three major burials excavated in the Caracol Northeast Acropolis dating to around 350 CE and raising questions about the contact between Mayans and people in the ancient city of Teotihuacán. By 300 CE, Teotihuacán—around 746 miles (1,200 kilometers) away in modern-day Mexico—had already become a large city and trading hub, and the mid-fourth century saw early contact between the two peoples. 'One question that has perplexed Maya archaeologists since the 1960s is whether a new political order was introduced to the Maya area by Mexicans from Teotihuacan,' Diane Chase said in the statement. 'Maya carved stone monuments, hieroglyphic dates, iconography, and archaeological data all suggest that widespread pan-Mesoamerican connections occurred after an event in 378 AD referred to as 'entrada.'' She adds, however, that archaeological data from Caracol indicates that the situation was 'far more complicated.' The two other burials include a cremation and another tomb. Archaeologists excavated the tomb in 2009. It was covered in hematite and belonged to a woman who was buried with a spondylus bead necklace, pottery vessels, mirror fragments, and two Pacific spondylus shells. The cremation emerged the following year, along with burial goods and practices of central Mexican tradition, including pottery vessels, green obsidian blades, and a carved projectile tip typical of Teotihuacan warriors. Archaeologists suggest that the deceased individual was probably a Caracol royal family member who followed central Mexican ritual practices, if not a royal Maya envoy to Teotihuacan. 'Both central Mexico and the Maya area were clearly aware of each other's ritual practices, as reflected in the Caracol cremation,' said Arlen Chase. In other words, early Maya rulers clearly had Mesoamerican-wide contacts decades before the supposed 'entrada.' 'The connections between the two regions were undertaken by the highest levels of society, suggesting that initial kings at various Maya cities—such as Te K'ab Chaak at Caracol—were engaged in formal diplomatic relationships with Teotihuacan,' he added. Moving forward, the team will continue to investigate the objects and skeletal remains found in Te K'ab Chaak's burial chamber. To absolutely no one's surprise, the Chases' son is also an archaeologist.
Fox News
4 days ago
- Science
- Fox News
Texas husband-wife team finds 'priceless' royal tomb filled with 1,700-year-old treasures
A Texas archaeologist couple recently unearthed the ancient tomb of a legendary king in Central America — a feat that's been over 40 years in the making. Arlen Chase and Diane Chase, both professors at the University of Houston, uncovered the 4th-century tomb at the Caracol archaeological site in Belize. The university shared the discovery on July 10. (See the video at the top of this article.) Caracol was a major Mayan city established in the 300s A.D. The tomb belonged to Te' K'ab Chaak, the earliest ruler of the city and the founder of its royal dynasty – and it's the first confirmed royal tomb found at the site. "Now in ruins, this metropolis was a major political player in Maya history, dominating the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula from 560 through 680 AD before its abandonment by 900 AD," the University of Houston said in its press release. Teʼ Kʼab Chaak's tomb was filled with treasures, including 11 pottery vessels and carved bone tubes. Excavators also found a mosaic death mask made of jadeite, along with jewelry made from the same type of gemstone. The Chases are the foremost scholars on Caracol, and this latest excavation is just one of many they've conducted. Their son, Adrian, is also an archaeologist and discovered Caracol's decentralized water system. "The true value of the materials is in what they can tell us about the ancient culture." Judging from the ruler's remains, the Chases also found that Te' K'ab Chaak was 5'7 in height and died at an advanced age. He also had no remaining teeth. Speaking to Fox News Digital, Arlen Chase called the recently unearthed artifacts "priceless." "Professional archaeologists will not put a dollar value on the items they dig up … That being said, the true value of the materials is in what they can tell us about the ancient culture," the expert described. "In this case, most of the individual artifacts are unique, but together they not only tell a story about the individual who once owned them but also enable us to provide a date for the burial." Arlen Chase said the artifacts date to 350 A.D. and "include a full range of vessel types for this time period," including two from the Highlands of Guatemala and shells from the Pacific Ocean. Both these types of treasures, he noted, were the "result of long-distance trade." Arlen Chase also confirmed that archaeologists identified the burial "based on the size of his chamber, the presence of jadeite mosaic death mask and earflares, and everything being covered in cinnabar." Diane Chase told Fox News Digital that the ceramic vessels in particular really showed off Teʼ Kʼab Chaak's status and wealth. "The two Pacific spondylus shells near his head, the jadeite earflares, the carved jadeite tubular beads, and the mosaic jadeite death mask also show his ability to obtain long-distance prestige items," she noted. A car trip between Teotihuacan and Caracol today would take over 23 hours. Ancient people would have had to walk at least 153 days to complete the journey, making the burial offerings particularly special. Above all, Diane Chase noted that finding a ruler's burial is "extremely unusual, and important." She said, "This is the first one we have discovered within the ancient city of Caracol." She added, "Even more important, he is the first ruler of the Caracol dynasty with some 30 other rulers following him (according to the hieroglyphic[s]) before the city was abandoned."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Famous birthdays for July 17: Carey Hart, Alex Winter
July 17 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Cancer. They include: -- Clergyman/author Isaac Watts in 1674 -- Financier John Jacob Astor in 1763 -- Actor James Cagney in 1899 -- TV personality Art Linkletter in 1912 -- Comedian Phyllis Diller in 1917 -- Actor Donald Sutherland in 1935 -- Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei in 1939 (age 86) -- Basketball Hall of Fame member Connie Hawkins in 1942 -- Camilla Parker Bowles, Britain's queen consort, in 1947 (age 78) -- Musician Geezer Butler (Black Sabbath) in 1949 (age 76) -- Actor Lucie Arnaz in 1951 (age 74) -- Actor David Hasselhoff in 1952 (age 73) -- Filmmaker Wong Kar-wai in 1958 (age 67) -- Johnny Briceño, prime minister of Belize, in 1960 (age 65) -- TV producer Mark Burnett in 1960 (age 65) -- Actor Alex Winter in 1965 (age 60) -- Musician Lou Barlow (Dinosaur Jr.) in 1966 (age 59) -- Actor Beth Littleford in 1968 (age 57) -- Actor Andre Royo in 1968 (age 57) -- Actor Bitty Schram in 1968 (age 57) -- Actor Jason Clarke in 1969 (age 56) -- Racer/motorcyclist Carey Hart in 1975 (age 50) -- Musician Luke Bryan in 1976 (age 49) -- Actor Stefania Spampinato in 1982 (age 43) -- Actor Sarah Jones in 1983 (age 42) -- Actor Tom Cullen in 1985 (age 40) -- Actor Billie Lourd in 1992 (age 33) -- Musician Kali Uchis in 1994 (age 31) -- Musician Wonwoo (Seventeen) in 1996 (age 29) -- Actor Grace Fulton Currey in 1996 (age 29) Solve the daily Crossword
