"It's unlikely to be just Joe Schmo's house — it's probably an important person's house," Saturno said, explaining the home likely boasts a storied history.
The clock is ticking for archeologists to decipher the meaning behind the paintings since they have already begun to fade from exposure. But Saturno says it's astounding the murals even survived in the first place.
"We don't get a lot of this type of artwork; it's not commonly preserved in the New World," he explained.
The Mayan civilization, spanning from about 2000 B.C. to A.D. 250, gave rise to a series of cities in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala and western El Salvador.
One of the Mesoamerican murals depicts a procession of colorful figures clad in a mix of traditional Maya and Spanish dress, with some figures possibly holding human hearts in their hands, archaeologist Jaroslaw Zralka told the magazine.