March 25, 2019

INAH May Have Found the First Aztec Royal Burial.

Archaeologists in Mexico have been looking for an Aztec royal burial for decades. New sacrificial offerings have been uncovered at the Temple Mayor site. They have uncovered the remains of a young boy dressed as a warrior and the Aztec war god and solar diety, and a set of flint knives with mother of pearl and precious stone inlays, a spear thrower and a carved wooden disk placed on the feline’s back that was the emblem of the Aztec patron deity Huitzilopochtli, the war and sun god, and bars of copal.  The remains date to 1500 CE. The offerings were found in a stone box in the center of a circular platform. Only one tenth of the artifacts have been uncovered so far. Aquatic offerings include shells, bright red starfish and coral. A roseate spoonbill that is associated with warriors and rulers, which represent the spirits of warriors as they descend into the underworld. There is a starfish from the Pacific and jade from Central America.
This could be the royal grave of the Aztec emperor Ahuitzotl.

Mexico has cut the budget for the project by 20%. Workers on the find have not been paid since December. So work on this discovery is proceeding very slowly.

The Daily Mail has excellent photos of some of the finds;
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-6846405/Aztec-war-sacrifices-Mexico-point-elusive-royal-tomb.html