God have I ever worked with a lot of archeologists over the years. Good archeologist, or at least well known ones, are by there very nature great promoters.
Every notice that people don't find dusty outlying settlements, they find Troy, the Queen Sheba's Palace or the lost city of Ubar?
After years of being led to the greatest, most important archeological find of the century only to find nothing to photograph but a small pile of rocks I've become somewhat skeptical.
That is how I was when NGM asked me to photograph a carved stone box found in a cave in Guatemala. My first clue that it might be interesting was when I talked to the archeologist Brent Woodfill. Rather than give me a hard sell, Brent said "well I think it is interesting but why don't you come down and take a look."
Well I am glad that I did. First off the box is one of the most impressive artifacts I have ever seen up close. Carved stone boxes are virtually unheard of in the Maya world, and the workmanship on this one is very impressive.
Second, Brent and his girlfriend -now wife- Mirza became good friends in the time that we spent exploring underground sites near Cancuen.
Finally, the box was stolen -looted really- shortly after I photographed it. Brent did most of the heavy lifting in getting it recovered. He was able to use my pictures to generate so much publicity that the box was impossible to sell. It was mysteriously returned to the Guatemalan government.
Good work Brent.
-Stephen Alvarez
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