The discovery of the ritual destruction of royal symbols in Ucanal, Guatemala, sheds light on the political instability that contributed to the decline of the Maya civilization. Archaeologists believe this desecration, involving the burning of a former king’s skeleton and regalia, represents a new political system’s efforts to erase the power of the deposed dynasty. Together with historical data from hieroglyphic texts, this finding provides insights into the complex geopolitical changes that ultimately altered Maya history.