Researchers open secret cave under Mexican pyramid

Reuters ^ | Thu Jul 3, 12:22 PM ET | Miguel Angel Gutierrez

[BenLurkin]

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Archeologists are opening a cave sealed for more than 30 years deep beneath a Mexican pyramid to look for clues about the mysterious collapse of one of ancient civilization's largest cities.

The soaring Teotihuacan stone pyramids, now a major tourist site about an hour outside Mexico City, were discovered by the ancient Aztecs around 1500 AD, not long before the arrival of Spanish explorers to Mexico.

But little is known about the civilization that built the immense city, with its ceremonial architecture and geometric temples, and then torched and abandoned it around 700 AD.

Archeologists are now revisiting a cave system that is buried 20 feet beneath the towering Pyramid of the Sun and extends into a tunnel stretching for some 295 feet (90 meters) with a height of 8 feet.

They say new excavations begun this month could be the key to unlocking information about the sacred rituals of the people who inhabited the city, later dubbed "The Place Where Men Become Gods" by the Aztecs who believed it was a divine site.

"We think it had a ritual purpose. Offerings were placed at the very end of the tunnel as part of the pyramid's construction process," Mexican archeologist Alejandro Sarabia told Reuters.

"We want to find out why the Teotihuacan people sealed it and when," he said.

Sarabia said the tunnel was first discovered in the early 1970s but it was closed soon afterward, and most of the information about it was lost when the archeologist who found it died.

[BenLurkin]

A general view shows the Pyramid of the Sun at the Teotihuacan archaeological site in the outskirts of Mexico City February 2, 2008. REUTERS/Henry Romero/Files

[Siberian-psycho]

[sinanju]

I read that the Aztecs were only the most recent civilization to arise in the Valley of Mexico and that they were haunted by the ruins of previous occupants that came and went.

Their world was continually under siege by the fickle forces of nature—drought, flood, hurricane, earthquake, volcano—and that influenced their determination to propitiate their bloodthirsty gods to escape the fate of their predecessors.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

You know that Geraldo will be on this story!!

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

the NYT will probably lead with a story sunday...

NO WMD’S FOUND IN PYRAMID!!!BUSH LIED!

[SunkenCiv]

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	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks BenLurkin! We think it had a ritual purpose. [2000 years from now] "There's some very tiny text on the back, on each of the thousands which have been found. Obviously they were mass-produced as some sort of offering, apparently to a diety called 'iPod'." To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are Blam, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
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[Bernard Marx]

If the reporter had done even a little bit of research he'd have learned that pre-Columbian cultures in Mexico and southwards believed caves were sacred. Their creation myths said humans came from the Underworld, so pyramids were often built above sacred caves.

This was definitely a belief of the Maya and contact between the Maya and the unknown builders of Teotihuacan has been proven. Mayan artifacts have been found in Teotihuacan.

I'm personally of the opinion that that the Olmec, the Maya and the builders of Teotihuacan shared common cultural roots.

[RobinOfKingston]

After a bloody transition period, the Aztecs gave way to the tribe we call the “Mexicans,” which isn’t faring a lot better. Lots of sacrifices taking place, and their “civilization” teetering on the verge of collapse.

[sevenbak]

The Toltecs as well as the Mayans are largely considered to be the leading candidates for Teotihuacan. The Aztecs just found it and considered it a sacred place.

[Judith Anne]

Back in 1971 Rob and I made a trip to Mexico, and climbed both pyramids. At the time, we heard it was doubtful that one was the “Pryamid of the Sun” and the other the “Pyramid of the Moon” but that’s what they were called.

It was clear to see, from the tops of the pyramids, the layout of what must have been a very large prehistoric city.

[martin_fierro]

Archeologists are opening a cave sealed for more than 30 years deep beneath a Mexican pyramid

That's deep.

[martin_fierro]

It'll make one hell of a casino.

[BenLurkin]

Yup! It’s a “fixer-upper”. All it needs is a coat of paint and lay in some some sod — maybe some sprinkler repair....

[wildbill]

Hmmm. All the records were lost when the archeologist who discovered the cave in the pyramid died?

Wouldn’t this make a great movie where this mummy comes back to life to kill the archeologist who disturbed the tomb and...

oh. Abbott & Costello been there, did that? Nevermind.

[BenLurkin]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUCRW_p48Rc

[Tax-chick]

Did they start digging in 1978?

[brityank]

Lemme know if they find any evidence of the Ascended Beings. ;^)

[wildbill]

Thanks/ Believe it or not here’s the complete trailer from 1955.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExQita1yaCs&feature=related

[SunkenCiv]

Yeah, if I live here another seven years or so, the inside of my house will require a similar operation, or maybe more...