An unexpected stoppage in construction has delayed the addition of a third lane to the Pachuca-Huejutla highway near Hidalgo, Mexico. The reason for the record push back, however, was well established – workers accidentally discovered a 1,375-year-old pyramid built at the height of a multi-ethnic society with the called the lords of Metzca.
According to s Announcement on December 5 from Mexico's Ministry of Culture and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), road crews first found evidence of the “San Miguel” site, named after the nearby town of San Miguel Metzquititlán, in early June. Archaeologists began digging parts of the site after road work was stopped, he eventually found parts of the pyramid “Structure 1” which consisted of five sections containing at least ten holes. By the end of the excavation, the team recovered 155 items such as shells, pottery and stone objects, while also noting evidence of charcoal, charred wood, and lime floors.
Background photo
Download the common science journal
Breaks, finds, and DIY tips posted every weekday.
By registering you agree to our sign Terms of service and Privacy Policy.
Researchers believe that the ruins may have been built by the Lordship of Metztitlán, also known as “the lordship of Metzca,” a multi-ethnic culture that inhabited the Sierra Alta region of Hidalgo during the Epiclassic (650-950 CE) and Late Postclassic (1350-1519 CE) periods. In a press release on Wednesday, Héctor Labra Chávez, Director of Tourism for San Agustín Metzquititlán, explained that “there were no remains of pre-Hispanic civilizations in the nearby area” before the discovery of the San Miguel site, and that “deeper studies necessary to discover the cultural context of this important find.”
Experts were working on borrowed time, however. After “exhaustive documentation” of the site using tools such as drone-based photogrammetry, INAH noted that researchers needed a rock masonry wall about 141-feet long, 38-feet high, 2.6 -foot-thick construction across the open pyramid. coin The excavated areas were then reburied to maintain their integrity, but not before covering the exposed areas in geotextiles to better preserve them.
(Related: A mysterious language on an ancient stone tablet intrigues archaeologists.)
As Archaeological News notes, unfortunately it may be a while before archaeologists can return to the study of San Miguel. INAH's recent budget cuts will reduce their 2025 fund by 45 percent, reducing their ability to fund additional projects. Despite this, the recovered materials and structural studies will provide researchers with information that will help advance their understanding of the area.
“This archaeological record provides valuable insights into the work of people in the Sierra Alta area, especially in the Barranca de Metztitlán area, where biographies trace settlements back 14,000 years,” explained the INAH.
Source link
