By: Daniel Nardini
Recently archeologists in Mexico City have unearthed a stone ceremonial platform that was used to cremate the dead kings of the Aztec Empire. The sacred platform was part of the Templo Mayor ruins and is believed to date from 1469 or before. The stone has 19 serpent heads—designating it as a special altar mentioned in Native Mexican accounts from the 1500’s as part of the site where the remains of Aztec kings were cremated before they were buried. Archeologists are hoping that this find will lead them to at least one Aztec royal burial somewhere in Mexico City or maybe near it. Meanwhile work continues on unearthing the platform.
It is a great irony that after 400 years, no Aztec king’s tomb has ever been discovered. Even just one year ago some archeologists were hoping that they had discovered the tomb of the next to last king Ahuizoltl who died in 1502, and was succeeded by Moctezuma II. They have found a huge stone slab that could have marked where Ahuizoltl’s tomb is. So far that work is still continuing. Five years ago the Mexican government had embarked on trying to find the tombs of the Aztec kings. However, since no tomb of any Aztec king has ever been discovered it is extremely hard for archeologists to know what to look for. Were the tombs buried in the temples? Were they buried in special secret locations outside of Tenochtitlan? Even trying to figure out what the entrance to a royal tomb would look like has proven problematic.
Archeologists have been hopeful in finding at least one Aztec king. So far the ancients have not given up their secrets. Another thing is if these tombs have any gold or silver or semi-precious stones or just sacrificial offerings in them. Archeologists are debating what might be in any of these tombs, and if there will be any identifying writing to help archeologists to know if they have found a king’s tomb or not. Even though all of the tombs of the Egyptian pharoahs (with the sole exception of Tutankhamun) were robbed in antiquity, at least archeologists studying ancient Egypt have from experience the means of identifying ancient Egyptian tombs and where they might be. This is just simply not the case for Mexican archeologists, and any guess could prove totally wrong or might lead to a magnificent discovery. So the next question is will the ancients give up their secrets about the Aztec kings’ tombs within our lifetime?
Finding the Sacred Kings of Tenochtitlan
By: Daniel Nardini
It is a great irony that after 400 years, no Aztec king’s tomb has ever been discovered. Even just one year ago some archeologists were hoping that they had discovered the tomb of the next to last king Ahuizoltl who died in 1502, and was succeeded by Moctezuma II. They have found a huge stone slab that could have marked where Ahuizoltl’s tomb is. So far that work is still continuing. Five years ago the Mexican government had embarked on trying to find the tombs of the Aztec kings. However, since no tomb of any Aztec king has ever been discovered it is extremely hard for archeologists to know what to look for. Were the tombs buried in the temples? Were they buried in special secret locations outside of Tenochtitlan? Even trying to figure out what the entrance to a royal tomb would look like has proven problematic.
Archeologists have been hopeful in finding at least one Aztec king. So far the ancients have not given up their secrets. Another thing is if these tombs have any gold or silver or semi-precious stones or just sacrificial offerings in them. Archeologists are debating what might be in any of these tombs, and if there will be any identifying writing to help archeologists to know if they have found a king’s tomb or not. Even though all of the tombs of the Egyptian pharoahs (with the sole exception of Tutankhamun) were robbed in antiquity, at least archeologists studying ancient Egypt have from experience the means of identifying ancient Egyptian tombs and where they might be. This is just simply not the case for Mexican archeologists, and any guess could prove totally wrong or might lead to a magnificent discovery. So the next question is will the ancients give up their secrets about the Aztec kings’ tombs within our lifetime?