Archaeologists Uncover Mysterious Relics in Tlayócoc Cave

On October 10, 2025, a mapping expedition in the Tlayócoc cave in Mexico's Sierra de Guerrero region has led to a remarkable discovery. Professional cave explorer Yekaterina Katiya Pavlova, accompanied by local guide Adrián Beltrán Dimas, ventured into an unknown passage through a submerged entrance and found a previously unseen room.

In this hidden chamber, the explorers uncovered a trove of artifacts, including two engraved shell bracelets sitting atop stalagmites, likely as an offering. They also found another bracelet, a giant snail shell, and pieces of black stone discs similar to pyrite mirrors, all dating back more than 500 years.

Archaeologists from the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) subsequently descended on the cave, recovering a total of 14 objects. These include three shell bracelets, a bracelet fragment, the giant snail shell, a piece of burnt wood, and eight stone discs, two of which were complete. The bracelets, made from a marine snail species, feature intricate engravings of anthropomorphic symbols and figures, potentially representing deities.

Experts estimate that these artifacts were left in the cave during the Postclassic period between 950 and 1521 A.D., a time when the area was known to be populated by the now-extinct Tlacotepehaus ethnic group. The discovery provides valuable insights into the symbolic, cultural, and trade practices of these pre-Hispanic societies.