8 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Archaeologists uncovered an Aztec altar with human ashes in Mexico City

Archaeologists in Mexico have discovered a 16th-century altar in Plaza Garibaldi, the center in Mexico City famous for its revelry and mariachi music.

After Hernan Cortes conquered the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan in modern-day Mexico City in 1521, one indigenous household that had survived the brutal Spanish assault set up an altar with incense and a container containing human ashes.

The discovery was made in August, but archaeologists spent three months investigating the site before it was publicized by Mexico’s National Institute for Anthropology and History (Inah) on Tuesday.

In honor of this fading world, the inhabitants of this former home unit performed a ritual in the 16th century, probably between 1521 and 1610 AD, to witness that this was the end of a cycle of their lives and civilizations. Between the songs and the smell of copal, the residents held an offering in the courtyard, which included various elements, including a pot with bone remains (human ashes) and 13 multicolored incense burners, about one meter long, used to burn the resin.

The pot containing human ashes was one of the items found at the altar. Photo: Reuters

The interior patio where rituals took place is about four meters (13 feet) below ground level, according to a team of archaeologists who spent three months analyzing the site.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



They found various layers of what had been home over the centuries, the statement said, along with 13 incense burners, five bowls, a cup, a plate, and a pot with cremated skeletal remains.

The house surrounding the altar was made up of a large room that was connected by a corridor to five smaller rooms, one of which is believed to be a kitchen.

Archaeologist Mara Abigail Becerra. Photograph by Mauricio Marat. INAH
The incense burners found at the altar would have been used during rituals. Archaeologist Mara Abigail Becerra. Photograph by Mauricio Marat. INAH

Archaeologist Mara Becerra states that this residence was the cause of spatial and architectural changes in at least two stages: in the Late Postclassical period between AD 1325 and 1521, and during the Spanish occupation between AD 1521 and 1610. Material evidence such as omichicahuaztlis (musical instruments made of worked bone), flute, and ocarina indicate that various rituals took place here.

According to Ms. Becerra, the inhabitants of the house wanted to hide it from the prying eyes of the Spanish conquistadors.

Anthropomorphic figures were also among the items uncovered. Photo: Reuters
Anthropomorphic figures were also among the items uncovered. Photo: Reuters

She believes they were Mexica, the indigenous people who lived in the Valley of Mexico and who founded the Aztec empire.

This discovery is the result of permanent works carried out by the INAH Directorate of Archaeological Rescue, whose specialists monitor the research, conservation, preservation, and dissemination of the cultural heritage of Mexico’s paleontological, anthropological, archaeological, and historical nature.

INAH

Cover Photo: The altar was found underneath a modern home near Plaza Garibaldi in Mexico City. Photograph by Mauricio Marat. INAH

Related Articles

Roman Bath and Magnificent Mosaics Used as Stables by the Villagers For Many Years

3 January 2025

3 January 2025

Archaeological excavations in the ancient city of Herakleia in Muğla’s Milas district in western Türkiye unearthed a striking discovery from...

Hundreds of silver coins have been found near the castle of Lukov in Moravia

4 September 2021

4 September 2021

In the forest near the Southern Moravian Fortress Lukov, two members of the Society of Friends of the Lukov Fortress...

1.8-million-year-old ‘human tooth’ discovered in Georgia

9 September 2022

9 September 2022

An ancient human tooth discovered by archaeologists in Georgia dates back 1.8 million years, firmly establishing the area as the...

Archaeologists Uncover Sak-Bahlán: The Lost “Land of the White Jaguar,” Last Stronghold of Rebel Maya in Chiapas

31 July 2025

31 July 2025

Deep in the rainforest of Chiapas, Mexico, archaeologists believe they have uncovered the lost city of Sak-Bahlán, known as the...

A gilded silver Anglo-Saxon object “made by someone with a real eye for loveliness” has the experts baffled

2 January 2024

2 January 2024

An enigmatic Anglo-Saxon object has been unearthed in a captivating discovery near Langham, Norfolk, East of England. This gilded silver...

Roman road network spanning the South West of England identified in new research

7 August 2023

7 August 2023

A Roman road network spanning across Devon and Cornwall has been discovered by the University of Exeter archaeologists. A Roman...

Archaeologists Uncover Rare Trojan War-Era Armor from 1200 BCE in Czechia

22 July 2025

22 July 2025

A remarkable archaeological discovery in South Moravia has brought new insights into Bronze Age Europe and its warrior elites. The...

A 5,000-year-old large house has been discovered in China’s Yangshao Village

7 December 2022

7 December 2022

Henan Provincial Institute of Cultural Heritage and Archaeology archaeologists have excavated the ruins of house foundations dating back more than...

A 2,100-Year-Old Marble Statue of Mother Goddess Cybele Discovered in Ordu’s Ancient Kurul Castle

7 March 2025

7 March 2025

A breathtaking statue of the Mother Goddess Cybele, dating back 2100 years, was found at the historic Kurul Castle in...

2,800-Year-Old ‘Pharmaceutical production area’ discovered in ancient Thracian City

19 January 2024

19 January 2024

Archaeologists have unearthed a “pharmaceutical production area” supported by a water source during ongoing excavations in the Thracian Ancient City...

Researchers find 3,000-year-old shark attack victim in Japan

24 June 2021

24 June 2021

In a paper published today, Oxford-led researchers reveal their discovery of a 3,000-year-old victim—attacked by a shark in the Seto...

Archaeologists Discover 40,000-Year-Old Evidence of Neanderthal Habitation in Ghamari Cave, Iran

13 March 2025

13 March 2025

Iranian archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery in Ghamari Cave (also known as Qamari Cave), located near Khorramabad in Lorestan...

4,000-year-old Rock Art From A Previously Unknown Ancient Culture uncovered in Venezuela

4 July 2024

4 July 2024

An archaeological team in Venezuela has uncovered 20 ancient rock art sites in Canaima National Park in the southeastern part...

Obsidian Research in Alberta Uncovers Evidence of Extensive Long-Distance Trade Among Indigenous Peoples Before European Contact

31 March 2025

31 March 2025

Recent research into obsidian artifacts in Alberta, a province located in western Canada, has unveiled significant evidence of long-distance trade...

A new study says genes and languages aren’t always together

22 November 2022

22 November 2022

Over 7,000 languages are spoken around the world. This linguistic diversity, like biological traits, is passed down from generation to...