Mysterious tunnel discovered under Mexican ruins

[gateley]

TEOTIHUACAN, Mexico — A long-sealed tunnel has been found under the ruins of Teotihuacan, and chambers that seem to branch off it may hold the tombs of some of the ancient city's early rulers.

Experts say a tomb discovery would be significant. because the social structure of Teotihuacan remains a mystery after nearly 100 years of archaeological exploration at the site, which is best known for the towering Pyramids of the Moon and the Sun.

No depiction of a ruler, or the tomb of a monarch, has ever been found, setting the metropolis apart from other pre-Hispanic cultures that deified their rulers.

Archaeologists had suspected the hidden tunnel was there after a heavy rainstorm in 2003 caused the ground to sink at the foot of the Temple of Quetzacoatl, in the central ceremonial area of the ruins just north of Mexico City.

Starting last year, they began digging, and after eight months of excavation, they reached the roof of the tunnel last month, 40 feet (12 meters) below the surface.

They lowered a small camera into the 12-foot-wide (4-meter) corridor, which had been carved out of the rock early in Teotihuacan's history, and got the first glimpse of the space that they say was intentionally closed off between A.D. 200 and 250.

"I think the tunnel was the central element, the main element around which the rest of the ceremonial center was built," archaeologist Sergio Gomez said Tuesday. "This was the most sacred place."

Video and slideshow of 7 lost/found cities at the link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38579850/ns/technology_and_science-science/

[riverwalker]

1. goosebumps

This is incredible.

[lonestarnot]

2. coo.

[pscot]

3. It ends in a basement

in Tucson.

[Bobbieo]

4. Think you would have one helluva time finding a basement in Tucson.

[gateley]

8. Don't tell Jan Brewer! nt

[pinboy3niner]

15. She'll be finding decapitated bodies!1!1

Oh, the humanitY! Oh noes!!1!

[pscot]

17. Six hundred years ago every house in Tucson

had a basement.

[lumberjack_jeff]

18. It connects to the basement of the Alamo.

[alphafemale]

5. Geraldo's on the way nt

[xchrom]

6. Recommend

[MilesColtrane]

7. They're going to find civilization's first chat room.

Teōtīhuacāner Underground

Populated with the remains of ancient people at each other's throats.

[ck4829]

9. 2012

Someone had to say it. :rofl:

[AnotherDreamWeaver]

10. Due to the state of the economy

the light at the end of the tunnel has been extinguished.

(Something found on a post-it note at a friends brothers place, after he had passed away... But I thought this a time to pass it along.)

[comrade snarky]

11. Very cool!

I hadn't heard about this! Thanks for posting.

If I remember right the Temple of the Feathered Serpent was built later than the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the moon. Doesn't mean there wasn't already a burial there of course.

Sealed rooms could be amazing. They were seriously into frescoes and pottery.

[gateley]

12. These are beautiful! I remember climbing the Pyramid of the Sun (not sure

they still let you do that) and seeing the view from there was humbling -- the Avenue, the Pyramid of the Moon. Especially since they kept telling us they didn't know who built them! How cool!

[AsahinaKimi]

13. Thank you for this

Very interesting!

[Luminous Animal]

14. This is fantastic.

[Festivito]

16. Israel's temple also had a secret tunnel. Great way to have power.

To appear in one spot and then another moving unseen would impress ancient farmers to death.

One would become a god.

Filling in the hole before it is found and understood would also be a good idea less the gains made by being a god were ever questioned.