A temporary stoppage in construction has delayed the addition of a third lane on the Pachuca-Huejutla highway near Hidalgo, Mexico. The reason for the setback, however, was well-documented—workers accidentally discovered a 1,375-year-old tower built during the height of the multi-ethnic society known as the Metzca dynasty.
According to a December 5 announcement from the Ministry of Culture and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), road workers began to find evidence of the “San Miguel” site, named after the nearby town of San Miguel Metzquititlán, in early June. Archaeologists began excavating parts of the site after the highway work was stopped, and eventually found parts of the “Structure 1” tower that consisted of five sectors containing at least ten mounds. Upon completion of the excavation, the team found 155 artefacts such as shells, pottery and stoneware, while also noting evidence of charcoal, burnt wood and lime floors.
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Researchers believe that the ruins were probably built by the King of Metztitlán, also known as the “dynasty of Metzca,” a multi-ethnic culture that lived in the Sierra Alta area of Hidalgo during the Epiclassic (650-950 CE) and Late Postclassic (1350-1519) CE) periods. In an announcement on Wednesday, Héctor Labra Chávez, Director of Tourism in San Agustín Metzquititlán, explained that “there are no known remains of pre-Hispanic civilization in this area” before the discovery of the San Miguel area, and that “In-depth research is essential to find the cultural context of this important discovery.”
However, the experts were working on borrowed time. After “exhaustive documentation” of the site using tools such as drone-based photogrammetry, INAH noted that researchers needed to build a nearly 141-foot-long, 38-foot-high, 2.6-meter-thick stone wall near the pyramid’s exposed surface. the foundation. The excavated areas were then reburied to maintain their integrity, but not before covering the exposed areas in geotextiles for better preservation.
[Related: Mystery language on ancient stone tablet stumps archeologists.]
As Archaeological News notes, unfortunately it may be a while before archaeologists return to exploring San Miguel. INAH’s recent budget cuts will reduce their 2025 funds by 45 percent, reducing their ability to finance additional projects. Apart from this, the objects found and the structural analysis will provide researchers with information that can help improve their understanding of the region.
“This archaeological record provides important information about human settlement in the Sierra Alta region, especially in the area of Barranca de Metztitlán, where history traces human settlement back 14,000 years,” explains INAH.
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