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    Archaeologists discover underground tunnels beneath Mexican city

    Pabio Posted on

    Archaeologists have confirmed the existence of a network of underground chambers and tunnels beneath the ancient city of Mitla in Mexico, a site known for its association with the Zapotecs.

    Archaeologists have confirmed the existence of a network of underground chambers and tunnels beneath the ancient city of Mitla in Mexico, a site known for its association with the Zapotec god of death, Pitao Bezelao. The discovery was made using advanced geophysical methods, including ground penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography, and seismic noise tomography, which revealed a series of chambers and tunnels that likely represent previously unknown Zapotec tombs.

    The research group, led by the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico (INAH), surveyed five different sets of ruins in Mitla: the church group, the arroyo group, the adobe group, the southern group and the column group. . Marco Vigato, founder of the ARX project, revealed the extent of this underground system of tunnels and chambers, saying: “Some tunnels and chambers extend to a considerable depth, exceeding 15 meters.” He added: “In the case of the southern group, they reach up to 30 meters deep, that’s as far as the instruments can penetrate.”

    One of the most significant discoveries is a large void under the main altar of the San Pablo Apostol Church in Mitla. Vigato remarked: “It is no coincidence that there was a void under the altar of the church. » The Church of San Pablo Apostol was built in the 16th century by the Spanish on the remains of the most sacred temple of the ancient Zapotec civilization, symbolizing the triumph of the new faith. A significant part of the ruins was incorporated into the foundations of the church, which was built with stones taken from the ancient buildings.

    The Zapotecs and other Mesoamerican peoples called Mitla “the place of the dead.” The Zapotecs believed that the caves and underground labyrinth beneath Mitla were an entrance to the underworld, or Lyobaa. Vigato explains: “For this reason, Mitla was the center of the cult of Pitao Bezelao, the Zapotec god of death and the underworld, and was for centuries the cemetery of Zapotec kings and high priests. » This belief led to the city’s association with death and the underworld, and according to historical accounts, such as those of 17th-century Dominican friar Francisco de Burgoa, the site contained “a labyrinth of rooms and tunnels » considered the entrance to the underworld. .

    Previous excavations have found nothing matching Burgoa’s descriptions, but recent geophysical studies have identified subsurface geophysical anomalies that should be investigated in future fieldwork. The team found tunnels that go deep underground, with some structures measuring about 15 meters long by 10 meters wide beneath the Church of San Pablo Apostol. Vigato noted: “It is possible that the tunnels, especially those under the church group, extend further north, east and south. It is possible that they are connected to other geophysical anomalies identified under the other groups.”

    Archaeologists suggest that this underground system could even be the resting place of ancient Zapotec kings. Francisco de Burgoa, in his 1674 text “Geografica Descripción”, stated that Zapotec kings are buried “richly dressed in their finest finery”, with “feathers, jewels, gold necklaces and precious stones” , holding “a shield in his left hand”. and a javelin on the right, as they used in war. He also describes two other caverns containing a chapel and burial chamber for the Zapotec high priests, and a final chamber leading to “a dark and horrible room” where “they threw the bodies of the victims of the great lords and fallen chiefs.” in battle.”

    The true extent of the tunnel network is not yet known. Vigato said: “They may have been created by the Zapotecs, or they could be much older. There is no indication at this time as to the possible age of the tunnels under the church or other groups of structures at Mitla. He stressed that “the results of the geophysical analyzes will need to be confirmed by archaeological methods. This could determine the nature of the cavities identified under the site and whether they contain artifacts of archaeological importance.”

    The natural caves of the Mitla region have been occupied and partially modified by humans for thousands of years. According to Vigato, “the earliest evidence of crop domestication in the Mitla region dates back almost 10,000 years.” Despite this long history, experts have not been able to establish the antiquity of these underground networks.

    The Zapotec civilization began in Oaxaca around 2,300 years ago and declined around 900 CE, although the reason for this decline remains unknown as there was no record of violent destruction. The Zapotec people did not completely disappear but established a new center at Mitla in the Oaxaca Valley. The site of Mitla continued to be occupied until the Spanish conquest in 1519 CE. Today, the Zapotec people originate from Mexico and are still concentrated in Oaxaca, with a population of just under a million. They are largely Catholic, although some ancient beliefs still survive.

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    Researchers now hope to determine the nature of the cavities identified beneath the site and whether they contain artifacts of archaeological significance. Vigato said: “This could determine the nature of the cavities identified beneath the site and whether they contain artifacts of archaeological significance.”

    Sources: The Scottish Sun, The Sun, Mail Online, The US Sun

    This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq



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