Mayan Red Queen goes on display in Mexico

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The Mayan Red Queen has been recreated

as part of a new exhibition

Location: Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico

Lady Ix Tz'akbu Ajaw reigned over 1,000 years ago

She's referred to as "the Red Queen"

because her tomb was entirely covered in red cinnabar

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ANTHROPOLOGIST AND DIRECTOR AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ANTHROPOLOGY AND HISTORY, DIEGO PRIETA, SAYING:

"The central chamber (of Mayan temple) was used for burial, inside a monolithic sarcophagus that was accompanied with offerings. The chamber of the Red Queen surprised us with its simplicity and lack of context (on the person buried). On the lid the remains of incense probably used during the burial ritual was found, which covered the circular opening located over a duct. That is a channel that allowed the soul of the deceased to leave its body and start its journey to the underworld."