AFP

A thousand year old stone sarcophagus discovered in southern Mexico could provide clues to the reason for decline of Mayan culture, the archaeologist responsible for the find has said.

The stone sarcophagus and the gravestone accompanying it dates to a period from 840 to 900 AD, when the Mayan civilization's decline began, Juan Yadeum told a news conference on Thursday.

Remains found inside were believed to be that of a woman or an adolescent of high rank, Yadeum said.

The sarcophagus, described as of a type "unique in Mexican antiquity," was altered by indigenous Tzotziles between 1490 and 1495, a period when the Mayan civilization was in a state of collapse, he said.

The find could help determine whether those responsible for the Mayan collapse were locals influenced by a group from the Andean highlands, or if they came from Central America and the regions on the border of modern Mexico, he said.

The Mayan civilization, which lasted from 2000 BC to 1546, a half century after the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, developed a calendar, city states and advanced political organizations.

Many theories have been put forward to explain its decline, including internecine struggles, wars, and peasant rebellions. Some experts believe the misuse of natural resources led to droughts and famine.

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