Archaeologists have discovered an ancient Aztec temple hidden in the Teopanzolco pyramid in central Mexico, according to the BBC. Scientists made the discovery when they studied the damage caused by last year's earthquake.
In September 2017, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Mexico, killing nearly 370 people. Its epicenter was 55 kilometers south of the city of Puebla de Zaragoza and 120 kilometers from Mexico City. The natural disaster caused destruction in the state of Morelos, home to the Aztec pyramid Teopanzolco, dedicated to the rain god Tlaloc and the war god Huitzilopochtli. It was built around 1300 AD. When archaeologists went to the site to assess the damage caused by the earthquake using radar, they found an ancient temple hidden two meters below the surface.
The temple discovered by researchers dates back to the middle post-classical period, it was built between 1150 and 1200. The building is 6 meters wide and 4 meters long. It was created by the people of the Tlahuica culture, who inhabited central Mexico for several centuries before and during the arrival of the Spanish colonialists across the mainland (1100-1521). According to scientists, the ancient temple may be the earliest, to date, evidence of the settlement of the territory of the modern state of Morelos - this is an important find that represents a very early stage of the Aztec period.
The fact that the temple was built under the pyramid did not come as a surprise to scientists - it was a fairly common practice in antiquity. The walls of the temple were found next to the remains of a molded pillar that once supported the roof. Due to moisture, the covering of the walls was almost destroyed, but archaeologists managed to save some fragments for study. In addition, an incense burner and fragments of pottery were also found inside the temple.
Christina Ulasovich