After An Earthquake Shook This Aztec Pyramid, A Stunning Secret Emerged Inside Its Crumbling Walls

Fragile Aztec ruins rise up from the parched earth. But it’s not just time that has caused these towering temples to crumble and decay. A deadly 7.1-magnitude earthquake just tore through the area, rocking the foundations of the sprawling site. And as workers toil to assess the quake’s damage, they make a startling discovery. There, in the structure’s hidden depths, lurks a remarkable secret. And it hasn’t been seen by human eyes for hundreds and hundreds of years... until now.

The site in question is known as Teopanzolco and can be found in central Mexico. It contains several celebrated historic structures, so experts were keen to assess its condition after the devastating September 2017 tremor. Scholars from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) kicked off the investigations. But nothing could have prepared them for what they would find.

Atop the pyramid of Teopanzolco, the damage was clear. But when the team dug pits in an attempt to stabilize the fragile monument, they stumbled upon a hidden secret lurking within the ancient walls. Something, it seemed, had been buried here long ago – before even the Aztecs broke ground.

So, what was this secret lost many centuries ago – only to be revealed as an earthquake tore through the land? And can it teach us something about the people who once called this part of Central America home? The truth is a fascinating journey through the world of the Tlahuica – a group poised to create the foundations for the famous empire which would succeed it.

Although Teopanzolco is commonly associated with the Aztecs today, it was actually founded by the Tlahuica. Unfortunately, little is known about this ancient culture, but it’s believed that they arrived in the region now known as Morelos in the 12th century. And around that time, they founded Cuauhnahuac – now the city of Cuernavaca.