Archaeologists in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca last week unearthed the tomb of a high-ranking Zapotec figure at the Atzompa archaeological site.
The tomb is located in a 1,100 year old burial complex that was discovered in July.
Three rooms were found.
Although the first two were largely empty, in the third room was a stunning red jar with a carved face, which held human remains.
There was also jewelery, pottery and a skull fragment thought to have been left as an offering.
[Eduardo Garcia, Archaeologist]:
"We have the things that we've recently found in the third room, which consist, as of now, of two urns, one individual, and a small offering in a tubular bowl.”
Historians believe that the burial complex was intended for distinguished members of the local society.
[Jaime Vera, Co-ordinating Archaeologist at the Atzompa Site]:
"This was a funerary building. In a manner similar to the tomb of Pakal (in Palenque, Chiapas), there is an inscriptions room. That allows us to more or less understand the significance of the funeral mound, that was built to contain these three rooms.”
Experts consider the Atzompa site, founded between 650 and 900 AD, to be a satellite city of the larger archaeological site of Monte Alban, one of the earliest and most important cities of Mesoamerica.
Atzompa was first excavated in 2009, revealing several large shrines and elaborate structures, as well as a 45-meter ball court used to play an ancient Mesoamerican ballgame.
The tomb is located in a 1,100 year old burial complex that was discovered in July.
Three rooms were found.
Although the first two were largely empty, in the third room was a stunning red jar with a carved face, which held human remains.
There was also jewelery, pottery and a skull fragment thought to have been left as an offering.
[Eduardo Garcia, Archaeologist]:
"We have the things that we've recently found in the third room, which consist, as of now, of two urns, one individual, and a small offering in a tubular bowl.”
Historians believe that the burial complex was intended for distinguished members of the local society.
[Jaime Vera, Co-ordinating Archaeologist at the Atzompa Site]:
"This was a funerary building. In a manner similar to the tomb of Pakal (in Palenque, Chiapas), there is an inscriptions room. That allows us to more or less understand the significance of the funeral mound, that was built to contain these three rooms.”
Experts consider the Atzompa site, founded between 650 and 900 AD, to be a satellite city of the larger archaeological site of Monte Alban, one of the earliest and most important cities of Mesoamerica.
Atzompa was first excavated in 2009, revealing several large shrines and elaborate structures, as well as a 45-meter ball court used to play an ancient Mesoamerican ballgame.
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