Archaeologists find lost Aztec village in Mexico City; know more

One 1,500-year-old Teotihuacan village was found by archaeologists in downtown Mexico City. Among the remains, they located human tombs, pottery, architectural elements and other objects from the lost village that may date back to 450 AD. W. to 650 d. W.

At the end of July, the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) disclosed that a team located an Aztec settlement in the Mexico, next to the Nonoalco-Tlatelolco Urban Complex.

The archaeologists' first impressions were surprising, because of the objects found with Aztec characteristics, 2.4 km northwest of the historic center of the country.

“The discovery is rare because it took place in a totally urbanized context, where the possibility of finding associated archaeological evidence to the culture of Teotihuacan was very low,” said Juan Carlos Campos-Varela, board member of the National Institute of Anthropology and History.

The archaeological discovery of the lost village

The exciting discovery could encourage studies on the Mexican region's past, shedding light on the civilizations that once inhabited the country and the settlement of the local supply network.

In addition, pottery found indicates that the people of the ancient village were artisans and artists, according to Michael Smith, professor of archeology.

Between 1960 and 1964, the same settlement was identified by archaeologist Francisco González Rul. During a construction project in central Mexico, the researcher located ceramic objects.

Now, from March to June 2023, an INAH team carried out an investigation in the urban center of Nonoalco-Tlatelolco.

Thus, the site was identified as aAztec village due to the set of architectural elements, such as alignment of stones, posts, artesian well and channels.

(Image: Marisol Bautista Roquez/INAH/Reproduction)

Ceramics, human burials and handicrafts from the village

Another resource used to identify the lost place was the ceramics and other handicraft items, such as statuettes, green stone objects and funerary offerings.

By analyzing the ceramic material, the team suggested that it belonged to an Aztec settlement that was in the region around 450 AD. W. to 650 d. W.

Basically, the remains indicate that the Aztec village lived on subsistence agriculture, fishing and other lake resources. “With these new discoveries, the existence of a village of Teotihuacán occupation in the Tlatelolco area has been consolidated and demonstrated,” said Campos-Varela.

The three human burials apparently were of two adults and a child or younger individual. At the site of the tombs, researchers also found bowls with Aztec aspects.

Finally, the discovery area is still being monitored by specialists. However, the excavations have already been completed and the collected material is being analyzed by the archaeologists.

For historical records, the lost village of 1,500 is a landmark of archaeological work in Mexico. Likewise, it exemplifies the importance of preserving the cultural heritage of a people for future generations.