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1,400-Year-Old Zapotec Tomb Unearthed in Mexico!
29 Jan
Summary
- A 1,400-year-old Zapotec tomb was discovered in Oaxaca, Mexico.
- The tomb features well-preserved murals, owl sculptures, and carvings.
- Mexico's president called it the most significant discovery of the decade.
Archaeologists in southern Mexico have unearthed a 1,400-year-old Zapotec tomb in San Pablo Huitzo, Oaxaca. This significant discovery, dating to approximately 600 AD, has been lauded by Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum as the most important archaeological find of the past decade.
The tomb exhibits a remarkable level of preservation. It features a prominent owl sculpture above the entrance, an image with symbolic meaning for the Zapotec, representing night and death. Inside, a sculpture of a man's head may represent the interred individual.
Further details include multicolored murals depicting symbols of power and death, and carvings of two guardian figures at the burial chamber's threshold. An "extraordinary" mural within the chamber illustrates a procession carrying copal, a resin used in ceremonies.
A multidisciplinary team from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) is actively working to protect and research the site. Efforts focus on stabilizing the fragile murals, which are threatened by environmental factors and biological elements like tree roots and insects.
