Ancient Teotihuacan Tunnel In Mexico: Did Mexican Archeologists Find Royal Tombs?

New reports out of Mexico City confirm that a years long exploration of a sacred tunnel in the ancient city of Teotihuacan contains thousands of artifacts, mainly consisting of ritual objects which were sealed in the tunnel almost 2,000 years ago. The excavation of the massive tunnel has now lead Mexican researchers to three separate chambers, which could be royal tombs, according to the lead archeologist on site, Sergio Gómez.

The entrance to the Teotihuacan tunnel was first discovered in 2003, the initial content of the tunnel, which is correctly dated to be 1,800 years old, was first discovered through the use of remote-control robots, after an initial sweep, human researchers then entered the tunnel for excavations, confirmed Gómez, who spoke to reporters in Mexico on Wednesday.

The team lead by Gómez just reached the end of the tunnel, which measures over 340 feet long, after meticulously researching, recording and cataloging every artifact found from “seeds to pottery and even animal bones.” In addition to the natural material discovered in the tunnel, additional reports confirm that even more interesting artifacts were discovered in the tunnel, which is located below the Temple of the Plumed Serpent, some of the more intriguing pieces include, finely carved stone sculptures, jewelry and shells. And though the yearlong excavation of the tunnel may have just concluded, there is so much more work to be done. Approximately 50,000 objects, 4,000 made of wood as well as an abundance of obsidian blades and arrow heads, will be painstakingly analyzed and hopefully provide clues into the inner workings of the ancient city, of religion and leadership.

In addition to all of these findings, Gómez and his team are looking for more. The archeologist, who works for Mexico's National Anthropology and History Institute revealed that the three chambers at the end of the tunnel could be royal tombs. "Because this is one of the most sacred places in all Teotihuacan, we believe that it could have been used for the rulers to ... acquire divine endowment allowing them to rule on the surface," Gómez said. Despite Teotihuacan serving as one of Mexico’s most visited sites, the ruins have been shrouded in mystery mainly due to a lack of written records from it’s 2000-year old inhabitants. Gómez is hoping that the discovery in the 3 chambers changes this; archeologists have never found any remains belong to Teotihuacan's rulers. A discovery of such magnitude could easily help researchers discover the leadership structure of the city, including whether rule was hereditary.

"We have not lost hope of finding that, and if they are there, they must be from someone very, very important," Gómez said.