HOUSTON – Meet Houston’s newest power couple: two archaeologists from the University of Houston, Diane and Arlen Chase, who recently uncovered an ancient Mayan tomb. Familiar feelings were also dug up as the couple now prepares to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
According to the university, the couple have been excavating together for over 40 years, and are regarded as two of the most influential Maya archaeologists. Now, they are about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
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The Chases did their first dig in 1985 and are known for challenging outdated beliefs about Maya culture. In August, they will present more about their recent discovery at the Santa Fe Institute.
“One of the reasons we’re able to make as many contributions as we have is that we stayed put at one site for a long period of time,” Diane said. “We just continued to ask new research questions over all of those years. The results helped build the picture.”
The uncovered tomb belonged to Te K’ab Chaak, first ruler of the Maya city and founder of the Maya royal dynasty.
Te K’ab Chaak took the throne in 331 AD, and was estimated by the Chases to be 5’7’’ in height and of advanced age when he was buried.
“This guy is a one-percenter, and that’s why he has so many vessels and three sets of jade ear flares in that chamber,” said Arlen. “The Early Classic period is the time when the rulers assert the fact that they oversee everything, completely distant from the rest of the population. That changes at the end of the Early Classic period, especially in Caracol, when, after the successful warfare against Tikal, they start to share the wealth with the general population. But not this person.”
The couple met while studying at the University of Pennsylvania, and went on to obtain anthropology doctorate degrees before marrying in 1975.
One of their children, Adrian Chase, now works alongside them as an archaeologist as well.
“(Arlen)’s my best friend as well as my husband,” Diane said in an interview for the University of Houston. “He’s my co-principal investigator, he’s all of those things. We’re just a really good team.”
