Several bouquets of offerings for the gods have been discovered 59 feet below the temple of the god Quetzalcoatl – a pyramid that still stands in the Mexican ruined city of Teotihuacan.
Quetzalcoatl, or ‘Plumed Serpent,’ was an important god during ancient Mesoamerican history, a historical region that included central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica.
This deity was said to have given maize to humanity and was responsible for the creation of mankind, which may be why offerings flowers were uncovered underneath the god’s temple.
Sergio Gómez, an archaeologist at Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History, said the stems are in good condition and still tied with the original cotton-made cords.
‘In total there are four bouquets of flowers in very good condition; they are still tied with ropes, probably cotton,’ Gómez told Mexican news outlet La Jornada.
Th? st?ms ??? in ???? c?n?iti?n ?n? still ti?? with th? ??i?in?l c?tt?n-m??? c???s
T??tih??c?n, with its h??? ????mi?s ?? th? s?n ?n? m??n, is m??? ?? ?? ? l????inth ?? ??l?c?s, t?m?l?s, h?m?s, w??ksh??s, m??k?ts ?n? ?v?n??s. Th? cit? is th???ht t? h?v? ???n ??ilt in 100BC ?n? ?xist?? ?ntil th? 8th c?nt???
‘W? h?v? ???n? c?m?l?t? ??j?cts th?t w??? ?l?c?? in this sh?t; th? c???mics ??? ?ls? ???m th? Z?c??li ?n? Micc??tli ?h?s?s, ???m th? ???innin? ?? ??? ???, ??tw??n ????s z??? ?n? 200 ??t?? Ch?ist.’
Góm?z h?s ???n w??kin? in th? ??in?? cit? ??? n???l? 12 ????s, si?tin? th????h ?nci?nt s?il, ??cks ?n? ????mi?s l??kin? ??? cl??s ????t th?s? wh? ?nc? c?ll?? th? ???? h?m?.
S?m? 30 mil?s (50km) n??th ?? M?xic? Cit?, T??tih??c?n, with its h??? ????mi?s ?? th? s?n ?n? m??n, is m??? ?? ?? ? l????inth ?? ??l?c?s, t?m?l?s, h?m?s, w??ksh??s, m??k?ts ?n? ?v?n??s.
Th? cit? is th???ht t? h?v? ???n ??ilt in 100BC ?n? ?xist?? ?ntil th? 8th c?nt???. A?ch???l??ists c?nsi??? it ?n? ?? th? m?st in?l??nti?l in ???-His??nic N??th Am??ic?, with ? ????l?ti?n ?? 200,000 ?t its ???k.
H?w?v??, ?nl? 5 ??? c?nt ?? T??tih??c?n h?s ???n ?xc?v?t?? ??s?it? m??? th?n 100 ????s ?? ?x?l???ti?n. D??in? ?xc?v?ti?ns, Góm?z ?s ??c?v???? m??? th?n 100,000 ??ti??cts within th? ?nci?nt cit? ?n? s??ci?ic?ll? ?n??? th? th??? ????mi?s th?t ??? still st?n?in?.
H?w?v??, th? ?????in? ?l?w??s ??? th? ?i?st int?ct ??t?nic?l m?t??i?ls ?v??? t? ?? ???n? ?t th? sit?.
‘It is v??? ??l?v?nt ??c??s? it will ?iv? ?s in?ic?ti?ns ?? th? ?l??? th?t w?s ?s?? ??? ?it??l ?????s?s,’ Góm?z s?i?.
In 2011, ??ch???l??ist ?nc?v???? ?th?? ?????in?s ?t th? ??s? ?? th? ????mi?, incl??in? ?nim?l ??m?ins, th??? h?m?n ?i???in?s ?n? ? h??ntin?, ????n m?sk th?t w?s ?s?? in ?it??ls 2,000 ????s ???
Th? m?sk w?s c??v?? ???m ? sin?l? j??? st?n? ?n? is th? ?nl? ?n? ?? its kin? t? ?? ?isc?v???? in th?? ?nci?nt cit?
‘In this s?m? c?nt?xt, whil? si?tin? th? ???th, s?v???l kil?s ?? ch??c??l w??? ???n? ?s ? ??s?lt ?? ? ?it??l c???m?n? th?t incl???? th? ???nin? ?? s???s ?n? ???its.’
In 2011, ??ch???l??ists ?nc?v???? ?th?? ?????in?s ?t th? ??s? ?? th? ????mi?, incl??in? ?nim?l ??m?ins th??? h?m?n ?i???in?s ?n? ? h??ntin?, ????n m?sk th?t w?s ?s?? in ?it??ls 2,000 ????s ???.
P???z C??t?z, ?n inv?sti??t?? with th? Z?c?t?c?s INAH C?nt??, s?i? in ? st?t?m?nt wh?n th? m?sk w?s ?isc?v????: ‘W? kn?w [th? ?????in?s w???] ????sit?? ?s ???t ?? ? ???ic?ti?n c???m?n?.’
Th? m?sk w?s c??v?? ???m ? sin?l? j??? st?n? ?n? is th? ?nl? ?n? ?? its kin? t? ?? ?isc?v???? in th? ?nci?nt cit?.