Archaeologists discovered the tomb of King K'utz Chman, one of the earliest leaders and perhaps the most influential ruler of the Mayan civilization. The tomb, which contains different carved jade objects suggesting his status and wealth, was found at the site of the ancient city of Tak'alik Ab'aj in southwestern Guatemala. "The richness of the artifacts tells us he was an important and powerful religious leader. He was very likely the person who began to make changes in the system and transition into the Maya world," said Christa Schieber, an archaeologist from the Guatemalan Instituto de Antropologia e Historia.