US Edition1,000-Year-Old Altar and Human Sacrifices From Toltec Empire Discovered in Mexico
The Tollan phase altar with human offerings, including skulls and bones, enriches understanding of Tula’s urban layout and Toltec rituals, INAH specialists reported.
- During construction for the Mexico City Passenger Train project, archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History discovered an ancient altar, or momoztli, at Site 17 near the Tula Archaeological Monument Zone.
- Located approximately 300 meters from the site's perimeter wall near Tula Chico, the remains likely date to the Tollan phase between AD 900 and 1150, expanding understanding of the ancient Toltec capital's urban layout.
- Excavations revealed offerings including human skeletal remains, skulls, and long bones, alongside ceramic vessels and obsidian blades. Chief field archaeologist Emmanuel Hern and Zapata uncovered the altar's vertices during extended excavation work.
- Specialists will analyze recovered remains at a physical anthropology laboratory in the State of Mexico to determine bone pathologies, while ceramic materials are slated for conservation at a specialized facility in Tepeji, Ocampo.
- The Secretary of Culture of the Government of Mexico, Claudia Curiel, emphasized that such discoveries reinforce the state's responsibility to safeguard and transmit the nation's archaeological heritage to present and future generations.
11 Articles
11 Articles
Altar With Skulls and Offerings Discovered in Ancient Capital of Toltecs
An altar and offerings outside the Tula Archaeological Zone in Hidalgo. Credit: Gerardo Peña / INAH Archaeologists working on the Mexico City–Querétaro passenger rail project have uncovered an altar with skulls and bone offerings in Tula, the ancient capital of the Toltecs, a find that could sharpen understanding of the city’s layout. The structure was discovered near Tula Chico inside the Archaeological Monuments Zone of Tula, about 300 meters …
INAH discovers altar and offerings outside the Tula Archaeological Zone
The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) has discovered an altar and associated offerings outside the Tula Archaeological Zone in Hidalgo. The discovery was made during archaeological salvage work being carried out as part of the Mexico City–Querétaro Passenger Train project. The remains of the monument, which date to the Tollan phase (AD 900–1150), will contribute to a better understanding of the urban layout of the Toltec capi…
Mexico City, 24 Mar (EFE).- Specialists of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) of Mexico discovered a mumoztli or altar, which will contribute to a better understanding of the urban trace of Tula, the ancient capital of the Toltecs. The finding occurred in recent weeks during the archaeological rescue work in the trace of the Mexico-Queretaro passenger train, center of the country. The INAH indicated this Tuesday in a state…
Archaeological finding in Tula reveals clues about rituals and Toltec urbanism The archaeological finding in Tula, carried out by INAH specialists near the Archaeological Zone of Tula, opens a new window to understand how the ancient Toltec capital was organized and what kind of ritual practices were carried out in that territory. During rescue works by the Passenger Train Mexico City–Queretaro, archaeologists located an altar and various offeri…
Archaeologists Uncover Ritual Altar With Human Bones in Central Mexico
Archaeologists working along the Mexico Querétaro train route have uncovered a Toltec altar that offers a clearer view into ritual practices and social structure in ancient Tula. The discovery surfaced during construction, when workers identified unusual remains that were later secured by specialists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History. An Altar Linked to Ancient Tula The structure sits near Tula Chico in Hidalgo, an are…
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