Archaeologists say ancient altars found in the Guatemalan jungle are clearly used for sacrifice
An altar of the Teotihuacan culture is found in the heart of Mexico’s Hispanics, found in the Tikal National Park in Guatemala Mayan CultureThe Ministry of Culture and Sports in Guatemala announced this week that this shows the interaction between the two societies.
The towering temples of Tikal’s huge city-state still stand in the jungle, competing with the Kaanul dynasty for dominance in the Mayan world.
In the northern part of Mexico, just in what is now Mexico City, Teotihuacan – the “City of Gods” or “the place where humans become gods” – is famous for its twin temples of the sun and the moon. In fact, this is a large city with over 100,000 residents covering about 8 square miles.
Still mysterious is one of the largest cities in the world, and between 100 and 750 BC, it was the largest city in the world.
The archaeologist Lorena Paiz, who led the discovery, said the Teotihuacan altar is believed to be used as a sacrifice, especially for children.
“The remains of three children not older than four years old were found on three sides of the altar.”
“Teotihuacan is a businessman who travels around the country (Guatemala),” said Paiz. “The residential complex in Teotihuacan is a house with rooms and a central altar; this is what the residence found looks like, with a character representing the goddess of the storm on the altar.”
The researchers posted videos on social media showing aerial footage of the altar and details of the structure inside.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1345822150065589
“This is unique in Guatemala and nothing like it was found,” Paz said in a statement.
It took archaeologists 1.5 years to unveil the altar and conduct analysis before the announcement.
Edwin Román
Rome said the discovery also reinforced the idea that Tikal was an international center at the time, and people visited it from other cultures to confirm its importance as a center for cultural integration.
The discovery confirms “there is an interconnection between the two cultures and their relationship with gods and celestial bodies,” said María Belén Méndez, an archaeologist who was not involved in the project.
“We see how the problem of sacrifice exists in both cultures. It’s a practice; it’s not how they are violent, but how they connect with the celestial bodies,” she said.
The altar is a yard width from east to west, and about 2 yards from north to south. It was about a tall yard covered with limestone.
According to the ministry’s statement, it was found that its residence had anthropomorphic figures with red tassels, a detail of the Teotihuacan culture.
The researchers published their findings in the journal Ancient Archaeology.
Researchers declare less than a year in a hidden Mayan City
Discovered in dense Mexican jungle A doctoral student drove past the scene a few years ago while driving through Mexico.
Tikal National Park is located about 325 miles north of Guatemala City and the exploration site is protected and there are no plans to open to the public. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Tikal reached its peak between 200 and 900 AD, when Mayan culture covered what is now Guatemala, Mexico, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras.
Teotihuacan is famous for its sun and moon pyramids, located about 25 miles northeast of Mexico City. The culture peaked between 100 and 600 years.
France-Pars-Pars contributed to this report.
