Just below the city awaits our history. This time, among the steps of the Templo Mayor, a group of archaeologists found the possible tomb of a Mexica emperor. They still don't know exactly whose tomb it is, but from the elements that decorate it, they suspect that underneath are the remains of Ahuízotl, one of the last huey-tlatoanis and uncle of Moctezuma Xocoyotzin.
Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters
In 2006 they found a huge earthenware carved with the figure of the goddess Tlaltecuhtli. In the left claw it has a rabbit with ten points that represent the year 1502, just when Ahuízotl died. But that is not the only indication that this is the tomb of an Aztec king. So far there are no archaeological records about the tombs of the rulers of Tenochtitlán, but the chronicles of Francisco Javier Clavijero are a clue about what could be inside the vault on the steps of what was once the main pyramid of Tenochtitlán.
The soldier was dressed with the attire of Huitzilopochtli, god of war, the merchant with that of Yacatecuhtli, his patron, and the mat maker with that of Nappatecuhtli, god of those who worked with tulles.
Among the offerings found in the funerary urn are a jaguar dressed as a warrior and the skeleton of a 9-year-old boy dressed with the emblem and garments of the god Huitzilopochtli, Aztec lord of war. Ahuízotl was known to be a warrior king who never hesitated to lead his troops. For this reason, archaeologists believe that these offerings belong to him. They have not yet reached the bottom of the crypt containing the remains of their owner because they have to remove a bed of corals and shells that is part of the funerary offering.
The bones of a sacrificed child dressed as a warrior / Photo: INAH
According to Arqueología Mexicana:
Considered the most outstanding military chief among all the Mexica tlatoque, Ahuítzotl was not only capable of leading Tenochtitlan to recover from the setbacks suffered during the reigns of Axayácatl and Tízoc, but also had the ability to take the domains of the Triple Alliance to its maximum historical extension, reaching the distant coasts of Chiapas. During his reign, Tenochtitlan lived times of splendor and required increasing amounts of tribute.
If it really is the tomb of an Aztec emperor, this would be a discovery as great as that of Tutankhamun's tomb in Egypt or that of King Pakal in Chiapas. Although at least 400 offerings have been found in 40 years, none has been as important and valuable as this one.
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