Underwater archaeologists in Belize have recovered several malachite-inlaid jaguar masks from a deep ceremonial cenote. These artifacts, dating to the Late Classic period, are believed to have been worn during the 'Festival of the Midnight Sun,' a rare ritual held during total solar eclipses or specific celestial alignments. The use of malachite—a stone associated with fertility and transformation—suggests the masks represented the sun's journey through the underworld.
The masks were found alongside ceremonial obsidian blades and stingray spines, indicating that the festival involved complex bloodletting rituals and offerings to the lords of the night. This discovery provides a rare glimpse into the more secretive aspects of Maya cultural heritage, where public festivals were mirrored by hidden, water-based rites performed by the elite priesthood.