Expert Tunes Into Aztec 'Death Whistles'

Newfound Aztec ruins predate known sites by at least a century

(NEWSER) - Archaeologists have unearthed the ruins of an 800-year-old Aztec pyramid in the heart of modern Mexico City. The ruins, which are approximately 36 feet high, stand on the former site of Tlatelolco, a center of political and religious power and the twin city of Tenochtitlan. The discovery indicates that the ancient city might be more than a century older than previously believed, reports Reuters. More»

(NEWSER) - Mexican archaeologists believe their ground-penetrating radar has detected the first tomb of an Aztec ruler ever found, the AP reports. Workers in Mexico City, hanging from slings and digging delicately in a muddy underground passage, hope to uncover the remains of Emperor Ahuizotl, who ruled the Aztec empire at its height before the Spanish invasion of 1521. More»

Ornate stone mask, pots, and bones found at temple's base

(NEWSER) - Archaeologists have unearthed what they believe are the original offerings that Mexico's Pyramid of the Sun was built upon. The team from the nation's National Institute of Anthropology and history found the very center of the ancient Teotihuacan structure by digging extensions off an old tunnel dug by 1930s explorers, the AP reports. There they found 11 ceremonial clay pots dedicated to a rain god, a stone serpentine mask so ornate it may have been a portrait, and the bones of a variety of animals. More»

Dec. 21, 2012 is a big day ... but not for the reason you think

(NEWSER) - Cool your jets: The Mayans did not predict the world will end in 2012, or so says a German expert. Sven Gronemeyer yesterday shared his reading of a 1,300-year-old Mayan stone tablet that makes reference to 2012: He says the hieroglyphs describe the return of Bolon Yokte, the mysterious Mayan god of creation and war. The date of his reappearance? At the end of a 13th period of 400 years: Dec. 21, 2012. The date, therefore, marks a transition to a new era, not an end, he says. More»

Archeologists send scout into Teotihuacan tunnel

(NEWSER) - The robot equivalent of Indiana Jones has given archeologists the all-clear to investigate a long-hidden tunnel under the ruins of Teotihuacan, Mexico. The remote-controlled robot—named Tlaloque after the Aztec rain god—was sent through the recently discovered 2,000-year-old tunnel under the temple of Quetzacoatl to determine whether it was stable enough for researchers to enter, AP reports. The use of a robot is believed to be a first for archeologists anywhere in the Americas. More»