Excavation of Aztec “Skull Tower” Continues

MEXICO CITY, MEXICO—According to report in The Guardian, researchers from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History have uncovered an additional 119 skulls at the Huey Tzompantli, a cylindrical tower at the chapel of Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec god of the sun, war, human sacrifice, at the site of the Templo Mayor. The skulls, which are believed to have been offered as sacred gifts to the gods, belonged to men, women, and children. “Although we can’t say how many of these individuals were warriors, perhaps some were captives destined for sacrificial ceremonies,” said archaeologist Raúl Barrera. The researchers also identified three construction phases of the tower, dated to between 1486 and 1502, he added. Spanish conquistadores encountered the tower when they captured Tenochtitlan in 1521. For more, go to "A Circle of Skulls."