Ancient MesoAmerica News Updates 2011, No. 21: Templo Major, Tenochtitlan - Five Sculptured Figures Found During Recent Excavations Archaeologists of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH) have discovered five sculptured stones during excavations at the Plaza Gamio, located next to the cathedral in Mexico City. The excavations were directed by Raúl Barrera Rodríguez and the sculptures adorned the façade of the Templo Mayor, as was reported yesterday, Monday March 28, 2011, by the INAH (edited by AMaNU; photos: Melitón Tapia/INAH): 
Descubren esculturas que adornaron fachada del Templo Mayor - Researchers National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) found five sculptures, three fragments, which were eventually placed on the facades of the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan, between 1325 and 1521 AD; between representations of found stone, architectural highlights a nail-shaped skull, the largest yet found in the vicinity of pre-Hispanic site. This finding was recorded during the excavation which oversees Urban Archaeology Program (PAU) at the Plaza Gamio, on one side of the Catedral Metropolitana, in the Historic Center of Mexico City which enables the construction site of a new access to the archaeological site and museum that will house the monolith of Tlaltecuhtli, Mexica deity of the earth. The archaeologist Raul Barrera Rodriguez, head of the program that is part of Templo Mayor Project, announced that within the limits of the streets Seminar and Guatemala, was found a mass of about 12.20 m by 7.70 m, where the Aztecs threw many materials, including the remains of sculptures found. A few weeks ago, in digging the first level of the pit, five sculptures were found, the remains of a cist or stone box whose offering was withdrawn by its own Tenochca well two trunks that remained in situ because they extend further and longer samples were taken to define the tree species.
The five monoliths carved in volcanic stone, "were placed at some point in the facade of the Templo Mayor, which we know because we are finding as fill material," said archaeologist Raul Barrera. In these parts a nail protruding architectural skull-shaped stone, 88 cm long by 40 cm wide, the largest discovered in the vicinity of the Temple. Some buildings were decorated with elements of stone that is embedded to form a design on the walls; representation of the skull was covered with a layer of stucco and applied this color. It also highlights the fragment of a large sculpture (96 cm long by 65 wide), which allows us to observe low relief sections having a knee leg adorned with a monster mask of land, and calf with eagle feathers, also carries an X-shaped framework with symbols of chalchihuites (jades). This imagery points to the representation of a deity of the earth, probably Coatlicue. Other sculptures are a snake's head (46 cm long by 25 high) that was cut and maintains much of its pigment red ocher battlements biznaga shaped, 50 cm high and 25 thick, and the fragment of a stone carving (38 x 35 cm thick and 28) that should be quite large, which is seen surrounded by a quadrangle band and the recording of a circular element that represents the sun.
Raul Barrera said that according to archaeological evidence, in the place where the grave was located, there was a floor-made between AD 1486-1502, "which was demolished by the Aztecs to dig a pit in the deposited items architectural sculptures, among other objects, some of which were partially destroyed or intentionally "killed" before being thrown. "At the moment we do not know what was the reason for this, but the finding shows that this action had a ritual purpose, possibly happened in the last phase of Mexican occupation, between 1502 and 1521, in exchange for construction of the Templo Mayor, considering that this is an area very close to it, the most important building of the ceremonial precinct. "After the grave was filled with these sculptures, stones and earth, the Aztecs placed back layers of volcanic rock and lime-sand, covered with slabs, ie was the bottom of the last stage of occupation by that walked the English on arrival at Mexico-Tenochtitlan, "said the owner of the PAU. Archaeologist Raul Barrera said he did not have time to continue the exploration of the pit they were discovered the remains of the sculptures, because the excavation is still in Plaza Gamio, in an area comprising 52 m long by 22 wide- , in the short term will coincide with the site's House Nava Mayorazgo Chávez (The Ajaracas), where INAH archaeologists carry out research in the area where it was discovered Tlaltecuhtli. For its part, the archaeologist Roberto Martínez Meza, head of the excavation area, commented that this point of the Plaza Gamio also had to be open during the pre-Hispanic times. "It was a great place to mention Bernal Díaz del Castillo and Hernán Cortés in his writings, the latter said that when they (the English) to Tenochtitlan and destroy one of the entrances to the ceremonial site, find a place enlajada. "We're seeing really was an open space, front and side of the Temple, they found not only evidence of floors," the specialist, recalling that the Seminary Square and its vicinity were explored since the early twentieth century by experts as Leopoldo Batres, Manuel Gamio and Emilio Cuevas, finding Mexica floors, a corner and the rudeness of the Templo Mayor. (Source INAH)
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