The Megalithic Ruins of Ancient Mexico - Part V

The Forgotten Tombs of Guirún and the search for the largest megalith in North America

The valley of Tlacolula in Central Oaxaca, Mexico, is home to one of the largest concentrations of megalithic monuments in Mesoamerica. The origin of these structures is conventionally attributed to the Zapotec and Mixtec peoples, who occupied the area since at least 500 B.C. Their largest and most important sites were Monte Alban and Mitla, characterized by a sophisticated stone architecture, magnificent underground tombs and advanced metalworking techniques.

The palaces and underground tombs of Mitla, with their intricate stone decoration, would cause the greatest impression in the early Spanish Conquistador and in later travelers during much of the 17^th and 18^th Century. Early chroniclers marveled at the extraordinary workmanship of these structures and the immense size of the stones – buildings which were “prouder and more magnificent than any that they had hitherto seen in New Spain. [1]”

These early chroniclers described vast halls supported by round pillars consisting of one stone, and immense doorways built with huge monolithic lintels and jambs. An even greater marvel were the stone mosaics that ornated the walls, consisting of an infinite number of small rectangular stones “as smooth and regular as if they had all come from one mould”. And, more wonderful still, these stones were “adjusted without a single handful of mortar”, a feat “inexplicable even to the greatest architects”. All of this was accomplished, according to another source, wholly “without tools, with nothing but hard stones and sand. [2]”

The palaces of Mitla and their impressive stone architecture have been covered at length in a previous article on this blog, which can be accessed here.

A few years ago I came across a brief description and some black and white pictures of what appeared to be an enormous cruciform megalithic structure in the mountains near Mitla. The report in question had been published in 1909 by the American archaeologist Marshall H. Saville and only named the site as Guiaroo [3].

Initial enquiries into the location of the mysterious ruin in 2017 turned out to be largely unsuccessful. We were, however, able to locate another interesting megalithic tomb on the grounds of the abandoned Hacienda of Xaaga (See here for a description of our find).

Finally, in March of 2020 our friend Ludovic Celle from Oaxaca City, who had himself visited the site a couple of years earlier and provided GPS coordinates, put us in touch with a local guide, Misael Martinez, who also knew the location of the ruins. His experience proved invaluable not only in locating the cruciform structure, but also a second tomb and various other ruined structures not mentioned by Saville in his initial report of the site.  

The "Palace" of Guirún, in the Upper Group. The Temple of the Two Rooms appears as a large stepped pyramid on the opposite side of the rectangular Plaza. The cruciform chamber is located on a ridge less than 200 meters from the Palace. [Photo by Author]

The ruins of Guirún (or Guiaroo) are located on a hilltop some 5 kilometers to the NE of the little town of Xaagá, amidst spectacular cliffs and deep canyons. The site was studied by Gary M. Feinman and Linda M. Nicholas in 2004, which conducted a comprehensive survey of the remaining structures but did not conduct any excavations [4].

The largest building is called the “Palace of the Two Rooms”. It is in fact a group of four ceremonial structures facing a square plaza with a large terraced pyramid on the eastern side. The temple on the top of the pyramid is still in a reasonable state of preservation and consists of two large rooms approached by a stairway, from which the entire complex receives its name. The plan of the structure is similar to that of the largest palaces at Mitla, but lacks the same high-quality workmanship and stone decoration. It is quite possible that underground tombs may exist under each of the ceremonial platforms to the North and to the East. There are also traces of fortifications and of what could be a small Mesoamerican ball game to the South of the palace.

The cruciform structure, often called a “tomb”, is found less than 200 meters from the main Palace, on another low ridge covered in bushes and shrubs, next to a ruined pyramidal mound some 10 meters high.

A view of the Cruciform chamber looking North. [Photo by Author]

Another view of the Cruciform chamber looking East. Note the immese size of the stone blocks forming the walls and the perfect jointing along the exposed face. [Photo by Author]

There are few words to describe a structure so entirely unique in the panorama of Mesoamerican architecture. Its measurements are given by Saville as 32.8 ft. (10 meters) along the East-West axis and 28.6 ft. (8.7 meters) along the North-South axis. It is in the shape of a cross, precisely oriented to the cardinal directions, and has the entrance to the West. The walls, up to 2.5 meters (7.5 ft) high, consist of enormous megalithic stone blocks laid without mortar or cement. The largest stone block, located on the southern wall of the western arm, measures 12.5 by 3.3 by 3 ft, or approximately 3.8 by 1.0 by 0.9 meters, weighting an estimated 10 tons or more in its finished state. A total of 52 stone blocks were employed for the construction of the chamber, which remained unroofed. The interior walls, with the sole exception of the terminal wall of the southern arm, are entirely decorated with intricate geometric pattern resembling the mosaic stonework at Mitla – except that the carvings were applied here directly on the stone surface. The patterns run on three bands, the ones at the bottom and the top resembling waves or swastikas, with a labyrinthine design in the middle band. Traces of red and white paint still survive in places.

The large stones were pinched into place by means of holes in the back of them, where levers were most certainly inserted. One huge stone block lying near the chamber also shows two enigmatic U-shaped bosses in relief that served possibly for transportation.

The author posing next to the largest stone block on the souther wall of the western arm. [Photo by Author]

A close-up view of the largest stone block on the southern wall of the western arm. Note the curious embossment in the middle, which probably served to ensure a tight fit the other stones. Similar features have been documented at other megalithic sites, such as at Ollantaytambo in Peru. [Photo by Author]

Another view of the western and southern arm of the cruciform structure, each consisting of a single stone. Notice the holes in the back of the stones, possibly for the insertion of levers. [Photo by Author]

It has been suggested that the “tomb” was left unfinished, due to the presence of several large construction blocks abandoned in the vicinity and the absence of a roof. This seems to contrast, however, with the evidence from the exquisitely carved decoration and traces of paint on the inside. Saville remarked that the debris filling the chamber at the time of discovery did not contain the slightest trace of human remains or other pottery fragments by which the structure could be dated. There is also no trace of a floor, so it is not clear whether the structure actually rests on bedrock or continues underground. Compass readings show that the longest arm is oriented about 17 degrees to the East of North. As such, Guirún would join a long list of Mesoamerican sites with anomalous orientations, including Teotihuacan, Chichen Itzá and Tula, which are all oriented between 15.5 and 17 degrees to the East of North.

Our friend Ludovic Celle from Oaxaca also noticed a close similarity between the geometric patterns that ornate the walls of the cruciform structure of Guirún and those of the Palace of the Columns at Mitla. These differ significantly from the mostly plain decoration of other underground tombs, which only contain isolated mosaic panels. Ludovic also created a great 3D reconstruction of the tomb which may be accessed from the following link: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/kAG8y

It is possible that the cruciform structure of Guirún was therefore never intended as a tomb, but as a ritual chamber or astronomical observatory.  

A view of the interior of the cruciform chamber, looking East, from which it is possible to appreciate the remarkable decoration on the inside. [Photo by Author]

Another view from the interior of the cruciform chamber, looking North. It is possible to appreciate the three different patterns that form the lower, middle and upper band. [Photo by Author]

At a distance of about one mile from the Upper Group and the cruciform structure, we found the remnants of another ruined palace supported by massive stone embankments. Inside the courtyard of this second palace we found the entrance to another tomb, which was also briefly described by Saville. This is a cruciform structure, measuring some 24 by 22 ft, or about 7.3 by 6.8 meters along its two horizontal arms, built entirely underground of loose cemented stones covered with a roof of large megalithic flagstones. The workmanship of this structure, which was most certainly a tomb, appears rather crude if compared to the other examples of cruciform tombs from Mitla and Xaaga, and does not share the least similarity with the exquisite finishing of the cruciform structure in the Upper Group, neither in the use of large megalithic stones nor in the quality of the decoration. The walls were covered in plaster and painted bright red and white. Only traces of the original plastering and paint remain. Of a third megalithic tomb described by Dupaix in 1805 as containing a monolithic stone pillar in the middle and carved mosaic panels, we could find no trace.   

The very narrow entrance to the other small cruciform chamber in the Lower Group of ruins at Guirún [Photo by Author]

A view of the interior of the small cruciform chamber in the Lower Group. The roof is formed of enormous megalithic stone slabs, but the general construction appears quite crude. The walls still retain traces of red and white paint. [Photo by Author]

Our attention was then drawn to some of the nearby quarries. A large prehispanic quarry was first reported by archaeologist Nelly Robles in 1994 at a site known as La Cuadrada, about one hour from Guirún, containing some 57 worked pieces. Unfortunately, the limited time available did not allow for a thorough examination of this site. Most of the stones seem to be of comparable size to some of the largest stone blocks at Guirún. We explored instead another stone quarry located near the village of Xaagá, near a rock face known simply as La Peña, where prehistoric rock art is also visible. We found there one very large stone, possibly a lintel, measuring approximately 4 by 1.5 by 1.25 meters. The approximate weight of the stone would be in the range of 15 to 20 tons. Our guide drew our attention to the fact that most quarries are located in close proximity to small streams, implying that water was perhaps employed to facilitate the cutting.

A view of the megalithic stone quarry at the site of La Peña, near the village of Xaaga. [Photo by Author]

The largest stone block still lying in the quarry at the site of La Peña, measuring some 4 meters long - most likely an unfinished lintel or pillar. [Photo by Author]

We also learnt of one immense stone block lying on a mountain slope near the village of Unión Zapata, some 2 kilometers to the East of Mitla. The site is known as Guigosj, meaning “fallen stones”. Archaeologist Nelly Robles describes at least 6 huge stones “of uncommon size” lying horizontally in the quarry. In her 1994 report, Dr. Robles observed that “at first, the enormous size and monumentality of the stones made us doubt that these could have been quarried intentionally; yet the perfection of the cuts and their geometric shape indicated otherwise [5].” The largest stone would have had the enormous dimensions of 12 meters long by 4 meters wide and 2.5 meters high. Assuming a specific weight of the stone between 2.3-2.5 tons per cubic meter, its weight could be close to 300 tons.

Also in this case, however, time limitations did not allow us to fully explore the site, which we will leave for a future expedition.

Various large stones found abandoned in the vicinity of the cruciform structure in the Upper Group of ruins of Guirún. Note the holes in the back of the large lintel and the curious U-shaped bosses on the other stone block in the foreground - probably another transporation device. [Photo by Author] 

Judging from the enormous number of stones still abandoned in the quarries, and their immense size, it is clear that a colossal building program in the valley of Tlacolula and Mitla was suddenly interrupted and remained unfinished. In her 1994 study, Dr. Nelly Robles documented at least nine major quarries in the area of Mitla alone, containing an estimated 200 megalithic stone blocks in various stages of completion, the majority of which in the 5-10 tons range. This would be enough to build at least four cruciform structures like the one at Guirún.

It is not clear what circumstances led to the abandonment of such a colossal building program. When the first Spanish Conquistadors visited Mitla in the 1520’s, they found the city already in ruins, after the Aztecs had conquered and sacked it in 1494. Perhaps it was the Aztec conquest that caused the abandonment of the quarries, or maybe this occurred much earlier. A recent 2019 study found evidence of a massive landslide to the north of Mitla that may have contributed to the abandonment of the site and the collapse of Zapotec civilization. The same study also found evidence of what could be buried pyramids or structures under the landslide, suggesting that the avalanche could have occurred within historical times [6].

Another mystery is the technique employed for cutting and transporting the enormous stone blocks. The stone itself is a type of andesitic toba, which would have required stone or metal tools for its extraction and polishing. A further question is posed by the intricate grecques and ornamentation found on some of the blocks – the finest being those that decorate the walls of the cruciform structure of Guirún. The perfect right angles and minute details suggest almost the use of molds, as the design is always repetitive and perfect, without the slightest error or deviation. One may also consider the possibility that the stone is in fact a type of geopolymer and that it was cast into place rather than quarried and transported. This possibility may only be confirmed by future studies and analyses.

While this is only a suggestion for now, there is something in the obsessive repetition of geometric patterns and designs in the palaces of Mitla and the cruciform structure of Guirún that suggests almost a form of writing or a mathematical code, whose true meaning may however always escape us.

A close-up view of some of the geometric patterns in the interior of the cruciform structure of Guirún. Were these intricate pattners carved or molded on the stone? [Photo by Author]

The ruins of the valley of Tlacolula and Mitla represent a unique example of megalithic architecture displaying a workmanship and a tendency towards monumentality unknown in the rest of Mesoamerica. These magnificent structures appear as if out of nowhere, and are the expression of a tradition of working in stone that had already become extinct long before the time of the Spanish conquest.

        

References

[1] Toribio de Benavente Motolinia (1482-1568), Historia de los Indios de la Nueva España

[2] Francisco de Burgoa, Geográfica Descripción, 1674

[3] Marshall H. Saville, The Cruciform Structures of Mitla and Vicinity, Putnam, 1909

[4] Gary M. Feinman and Lind M. Nicholas, Hilltop Terrace Sites of Oaxaca: Intensive Surface Survey at Guirún, El Palmillo and the Mitla Fortress, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, 2004

[5] Nelly M. Robles Garcia, Las Canteras de Mitla, Vanderbilt University, 1994, pp. 17-19

[6] V. H. Garduño-Monroy, et al., The Mitla Landslide: An event that changed the fate of a Mixteco/ Zapoteco Civilization in Mesoamerica, International Journal of Geophysics, vol. 2019, https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/5438381

Note: All the pictures on this page are intended for non-commercial use only and may be reproduced on other websites or publications so long as the source is cited. Exploration of the site was conducted with the help of certified guides to ensure the preservation of archaeological remains and the natural environment. 

The Secret Tunnels of Ancient Mexico and Central America

Just like Peru, with its countless legends of ancient tunnels and buried treasure, rumors of a vast ancient tunnel network that extends under much of Mexico and Central America are nearly as plentiful, many dating to a time earlier than that of the Spanish conquest. The Aztecs themselves believed that their ancestors had emerged from this mysterious underworld after a great cataclysm. In Aztec myths and legends, this underground world was known as Chicomoztoc, the “place of the seven caverns”. Maya creation stories also speak of the underground kingdom of Xibalba as a real, physical place, from which humanity had emerged at the dawn of time. Caves and ancient tunnels were believed to be the gates to this mysterious subterranean world.

The entrance to the Maya labyrinth of Yaxchilan, in Chiapas, a sprawling underground complex of chambers and corridors that may conceal the entrance to Edgar Cayce's fabulous Hall of Records. [Photo by Author]

What follows is a list of the most famous ancient cave and tunnel entrances found throughout Mexico and Central America. 

Texcoco – The palace of Nezahualcoyotl

The entrance to one of the many ancient tunnels that pierce the hill of Tezcotzingo. [Photo by Author]

The hill of Tezcotzingo, overlooking the ancient city of Texcoco, a short distance from Mexico City, contains the remains of several monolithic temples, rock-cut stairways and artificial aqueducts. It is believed that these remains date to the time of the king Nezahualcoyotl (1402-1472 AD), who built a magnificent palace on the hill. The unusual megalithic character and severe erosion of these structures may however point to an antiquity far more remote than the foundation of the city of Mexico by the Aztecs. Several cave entrances are visible on the hill of Tezcotzingo, all of which are presently blocked. When Bullock visited the ruins of Texcoco with the hill of Tezcotzingo in 1824, he could still admire the ruins of several pyramids and the great palace of the Kings of Texcoco on the hill, “of huge basaltic stones, carved and polished with the utmost exactness”. Bullock also described the whole mountain as “entirely perforated by artificial excavations”, in which immense riches were said to be buried, although for no amount of money his guides would accept to take him into the underground labyrinth. A tunnel entrance dug into one of the flanks of the hill leads through a steep descending passageway to an underground chamber. The entrance to another collapsed tunnel is visible below the floor of the chamber. It is rumored that this tunnel connects with another blocked passage exiting below a large monolithic basin known as the “Bath of the King”. 

A report of our 2016 expedition to Texcoco and Tezcotzingo can be found here.

Mexico City – The “Tomb of the Aztecs” on the hill of Chapultepec

The "Tomb of the Aztec Kings" inside Mexico City's Chapultepec Park. A V-shaped rock covered with mysterious hieroglyphs (to the left of the picture) is believed to conceal the entrance to a legendary tomb, inside a labyrinth of tunnels said to extent under much of present-day Mexico City. [Photo by Author]

Inside Mexico City's Chapultepec Park lies a little-known monolithic temple that was at some point known as the “Tomb of the Aztecs”. It contains a number of badly-defaced bas-reliefs believed to depict the Aztec king Moctezuma, mysterious hieroglyphs and what are possibly astronomical figures of the stars, the Sun and the Moon. There are legends of a tunnel entrance in the same area where the hieroglyphic carvings and a giant rock-cut serpent sculpture are found. This cave, known as Cincalco, was said to be an entrance to the underworld. According to the Aztec “Legend of the Suns”, it was through this cave that the mythical Toltec king Huemac entered the underworld. Other traditions speak of the legendary tomb of the Aztec kings, hidden inside a maze of tunnels deep underneath the hill of Chapultepec in present-day Mexico City. The entrance to the cave was apparently sealed during the course of the 1990’s, and is presently blocked by a concrete slab. 

Mexico City – The "Cueva del Diablo" on the Cerro de la Estrella

Many legends surround the so-called Cueva del Diablo or “Devil’s Cave” in Mexico City’s Cerro de la Estrella. The mountain, a prominent feature in the geography of the Valley of Mexico, was a sacred site since pre-Columbian times. Its name “Mountain of the Star”, suggests the hill may have served as a place of astronomical observations in antiquity. The remains of a large Aztec pyramid sit on its summit, where every 52 years a special ceremony was performed. During this celebration, known as the New Fire Ceremony, a giant fire was lighted to mark the beginning of a new calendar cycle. On the hill, among the many ancient petroglyphs and rock carvings, may be found the entrances to several caves. Of these, the Cueva del Diablo has a particularly sinister reputation due to mysterious disappearances and a number of reported attacks by what has been described as an “unknown creature”. The cave connects to a vast network of ancient lava tunnels whose true extent is presently unknown, but which are believed to run under much of present-day Mexico City.     

The underworld of Teotihuacan

A view into one of the chambers that are part of a maze of tunnels extending for miles under the ancient city of Teotihuacan. [Photo by Author]

Dry-stone walls and burn marks on the ceiling of some of the caves and tunnels are evidence of a long human occupation of the mysterious underworld of Teotihuacan. [Photo by Author]

The ancient metropolis of Teotihuacan contains three massive pyramids and hundreds of structures. At its height, between the 2nd and 5th Century AD, it was home to an estimated population of 250,000, which would have made it the largest ancient city in the pre-Columbian world – the “Rome of America”. Yet, the identity of the city's original builders is still shrouded in mystery. 

A vast labyrinth of man-made tunnels and natural lava caves exists under the ancient metropolis, believed to extend for tens if not hundreds of miles. In 1880, the French archaeologist and explorer Desiré Charnay was among the first Europeans to penetrate the underground labyrinth of Teotihuacan. In his book “The ancient cities of the new world” he recalls having been led to what he described as the entrance to a cavernous quarry, some two and a half miles west of the pyramid of the Moon. There, several galleries branched off in different directions, leading to vast halls and chambers. Charnay also described an immense chamber with a dome-like ceiling, filled with human remains, which he considered to be the mausoleum of the mysterious race who built Teotihuacan and its great pyramids. Charnay speculated that the tunnels had originally been quarries, and were only at a later point converted into catacombs. Some of the tunnels that Charnay explored were remarkable for their straightness and perfection of construction, with one in particular said to run on a straight line to Amecameca, some 40 miles to the South-East. 

The entrance to the original tunnel system first entered by Charnay in the late 19th Century is presently lost, but more tunnel entrances can be found a short distance to the East of the pyramid of the Sun. In 2017 we explored a section of these tunnels, finding a system of interconnected chambers and blocked passageways that seem to extend for an unknown distance in the direction of the Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. Reports also exist of vast tunnels under the Cerro Gordo mountain and in the nearby Tlapacique mountain range, where the openings of several air shafts or “respiraderos” point to the existence of yet more unexplored tunnels and chambers.   

  

In the 1950s, archaeologist René Millon speculated that the largest pyramids at Teotihuacan were built on top of vast underground cavities. He even found evidence of what he described as a “huge sealed pit” under the pyramid of the Sun, which he believed could lead to a tomb of immense proportions. Another tunnel was explored under the pyramid of the Sun in 1971, terminating in a clover-leaf chamber. This seems, however, to bear no relationship with Millon’s supposed tomb.  

In 2003, torrential rains revealed the entrance to another ancient tunnel under the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent. Vast quantities of liquid mercury, mysterious pyrite spherules and over 50,000 buried artifacts were recovered from the excavation, yet no burial could be found. At present, the function of these tunnels is unknown, It is possible that they may have formed part of a secret representation of the Underworld extending for miles under the ancient city of Teotihuacan.  

A report of our latest explorations into the mysterious underworld of Teotihuacan can be found here.

Find also a video from the 2017 expedition here.

  

The subterraneans of Xochicalco

A view of the Acropolis of Xochicalco from the lower terrace. The entrances to several caves and man-made tunnels are visible at the base of the cliff, penetrating deeply into the rock face [Photo by Author]

A map drawn at the beginning of the last century of a section of the subterraneans of Xochicalco, forming part of the so-called "Cave of the Sun". [Courtesy: INAH]

The ancient ruins of Xochicalco sit on top of an artificially terraced hill pierced by a number of ancient tunnels and mysterious passageways. There is evidence on the hill of earlier megalithic structures, including some enormous retaining walls built in the polygonal/ cyclopean style. The Pyramid of the Feathered Serpents, which dominates the Acropolis of Xochicalco, is also built of immense basalt stone blocks, decorated with sculptured panels that may allude to the destruction and later resurrection of the original “homeland of the Gods”. 

In another article we even suggest that the hieroglyphs of the pyramid of Xochicalco may in fact tell the history of Atlantis - Read the complete article here. 

The so-called “Cave of the Sun” is the only one of several tunnel entrances under the hill of Xochicalco that are presently open to the public. The main attraction of this tunnel system is a small, nearly circular chamber with an opening on top. On the day of the Spring and Autumn equinox, a ray of sun enters through the opening in the roof to light up the chamber. More blocked tunnel entrances can be found along the cliff face. In 1791, the learned scholar father Alzate y Ramirez was the first to report the existence of the tunnels or “subterraneans” of Xochicalco. One in particular he describesd as consisting of several “hallways” connected by winding stairways. The Indians accompanying the father on his expedition warned him that a person entering the underground labyrinth in the early hours of the morning would still not be able to find an end to it by sundown, or risk getting forever lost in the maze of tunnels and chambers.   

Mitla's Temple of Doom  and the Liyobaa cavern

A view into one of the tombs of Mitla - Note the extremely fine workmanship of the stones and the mosaic panels on the walls. [Photo by Author]

Another view of the chambers and tunnels under one of the main palaces of Mitla. A similar cruciform structure may have served as the antechamber to the legendary Liyobaa cavern, believed to be an entrance to the underworld. [Photo by Author]

The ancient city of Mitla was the capital of a powerful Mixtec kingdom between the 9th and the 12th Century AD. A sacred city, it contained a number of palaces, pyramids and structures that are today found in varying states of preservation. Mitla is particularly famous for the elaborate stone mosaics that decorate its ancient buildings. Some immense megaliths, some of which weighing in excess of 45 tons, were employed in the construction of the ancient palaces, including a number of curious monolithic columns. 

Several tombs have been found under the main ceremonial structures of Mitla, the largest and most elaborate ones mimicking the architecture of the palaces above ground. The subterranean chambers are built of stone, finely cut and dressed, and frequently contain monolithic pillars and stone mosaics. 

The entrance to a subterranean chamber at Yagul, another archaeological site located in the vicinity of Mitla. [Photo by Author]

At Yagul, a short distance from Mitla, one can still see the entrances to many ancient tunnels believed to be part of an immense necropolis. [Photo by Author]

The first European reports of the ruins of Mitla date to the early 16th Century. One such report by a father Torquemada describes an immense cavern by the name of Liyobaa, believed to be the entrance to the underworld and the seat of a powerful oracle of the dead that was famous throughout the land. This cave was entered though a set of three underground chambers located under the main palace of Mitla, which father Torquemada calls the “Palace of the Living and the Dead”. The cave itself was said to extend for more than 30 leagues underground, its roof supported by pillars. The Spanish priests sealed the entrance to the cave and built a church on the former site of the palace. Portions of the ancient building, including some immense monolithic lintels and columns, can still be appreciated under the small colonial parish church of Mitla. A comparison with the floor plan and orientation of the other surviving palaces of Mitla suggests that the entrance to the underground chambers and the cavern of Liyobaa would be found in the approximate location occupied by the altar of the present day Church.

Other tunnels and cruciform tombs built of enormous megalithic stone blocks are found at Guiaroo and Xaagá. An ancient tunnel under the ruined hacienda of Xaagá is said to run all the way to Mitla, a distance of nearly 5 miles, its walls built of interlocking stone blocks like the underground tombs of Mitla.

The entrance to an ancient tunnel under the old Hacienda of Xaagá, said to run for nearly 5 kilometers in the direction of the ancient city Mitla. [Photo by Author]

Inside another ancient tunnel in Xaagá. The tunnel leads to a large cruciform chamber from where local tradition has it that a now blocked well-shaft in the floor communicates with a fabulous cavern. [Photo by Author]

Read here a full report of our 2017 expedition to Mitla and Xaagá. 

    

The tunnels of El Barreno in Morelia

A 1956 sketch of the tunnels under El Barreno, in Morelia [Source: http://www.espejel.com/] 

In 1956, the excavations of an ancient mound in the outskirts of Morelia, in central Mexico, revealed a curious structure formed of giant blocks of stone apparently fused or melted together. What was at first believed to be a small volcanic outcrop, known to locals as “El Barreno”, turned out to be an ancient pyramid of unknown age. An opening close to the northern side of the pyramid revealed the entrance to an ancient tunnel with rock-cut steps. According to a map that was published by Dr. Jesús García Tapias shortly after his discovery of the tunnels, the main tunnel led to a large domed chamber from which at least 6 other passageways ran in different directions. After following some of the passages for a distance of over 500 meters, it was found that they were either blocked or flooded. Over the course of the last decade, the pyramid and its tunnels have been largely obliterated by the growth of the city of Morelia. It is however possible that future excavations in the area will again reveal one of the original entrances. 

The lost caves of Chalcatzingo

The stunning natural landscape of Chalcatzingo, with the Olmec pyramid and ceremonial center in the foreground. In this aerial picture, the openings of several caves are visible in the cliff face of the Cerro Chalcatzingo (to the right) and the nearby Cerro Delgado (to the left). [Photo by Author]

The most famous Olmec bas-relief found at Chalcatzingo. It shows a seated figure holding a bundle of scrolls or a tablet inside a cave from which emanate curious guts of steam or air. [Photo by Author]

Chalcatzingo is an ancient site of the Olmec civilization located in the Valley of Morelos, in Central Mexico. It dates to between the 7th and 5th Century B.C., with the ruins of a large ceremonial center which included at one time two pyramids, a ballcourt, various altars and sculptured monuments. Chalcatzingo is mostly famous for its rich rock-art, consisting of a number of carved bas-reliefs distributed along the slopes of the Cerro Chalcatzingo. One of the most famous carvings, known as “El Rey” (The King) depicts a man seated on a throne inside a cave. The mysterious figure is holding an object resembling a tablet or a scroll. Another scene illustrates a procession of torch-bearers, also seemingly taking place inside a cave, with more of the curious objects resembling tablets or scrolls. There is every hint that a sacred cave existed at Chalcatzingo, where sacred objects may have been stored. No such cave is known at the site, but a drone fly-over conducted in 2017 along the slopes of the Cerro Chalcatzingo revealed a few possible cave entrances. These are located high on the cliff-face, in a nearly inaccessible position. It is presently unknown what these caves may contain and how deep they reach inside the mountain. 

In this article we discuss the possible existence of an ancient and still undiscovered cavern at Chalcatzingo which may hold evidence of the visit of ancient "Gods". 

The Sacred Valley of Tepoztlán and Daniel Ruzo

The mysterious "Sphinx" of Tlayocapan, near Tepoztlán. According to Daniel Ruzo this rock was artificially carved in the shape of a giant sphinx by a lost civilization he called Masma. Ruzo believed this civilization was also responsible for the incredible rock sculptures of Marcahuasi, in Peru. The entrance to a large natural cave can be seen on one side of the rock formation. [Photo by Author]

Tepoztlán is a small town located some 50 kilometers south of Mexico City. Here, amidst a setting of stunning natural beauty and unusual rock formations, the famous Peruvian explorer Daniel Ruzo believed he had discovered the remains of a “sacred forest” of giant rock sculptures similar to the ones he had himself discovered at Marcahuasi, in Peru, just a few years earlier. These sculptures, which Ruzo believed could be thousands if not tens of thousands of years old, formed a coherent sequence that in his mind described the full cycle of development of present humanity and of the races that preceded it. Ruzo also believed that some of the sculptures were in fact “portals” to a labyrinthine network of tunnels where the knowledge of the ancient races had been stored since time immemorial for the benefit of a future humanity. Many people perceive a strange energy or magnetism in Tepoztlán and its “Sacred Valley” is one of the places in the world with the highest frequency of UFO sightings and other unexplained phenomena.

The Loltun cave in Yucatan

The Loltun cave in Yucatan is a large natural cavern containing extensive layers of human occupation that date back to the last ice age, some 10,000 years ago. It also contains a set of cave paintings attributed to the Maya civilization from the Pre-Classic period or even older. The true extent of this labyrinthine system of caves and passages is presently unknown, although nearly two kilometers of the entire cave systems have been mapped and explored. In 1931, the American archaeologist Robert Stacy-Judd recounted a strange episode in which, after getting lost in the cave, he was rescued by a mysterious man dressed like a Maya priest and carrying a torch. The explorer even managed to take a photograph of the mysterious “hermit”, which appeared in several newspapers at the time. There are rumors of secret passages inside the cave, and of a blocked rock-cut tunnel which is believed to lead into a deeper, unexplored section of the cave where great treasures are said to be buried.    

The secret tunnels of Aké and Izamal

Within the Maya region of Yucatan, early explorers like Brasseur de Bourbourg, Stephens and Catherwood reported the existence of extensive ancient tunnels at both Aké and Izamal. These sites contain a number of pyramids and megalithic structures unlike any other in the Maya region, which may point to great antiquity. A sacred cave exists under the pyramid of Kinich Kakmo in Izamal, where a tunnel is said to connect this pyramid (the 3rd largest in Mesoamerica and one of the largest in the world, with a base of 195 by 173 meters and a height of 35 meters) with another that existed on the site now occupied by the great Franciscan convent of Izamal. Brasseur de Bourbourg explored and left a description of this tunnel in the early 1800’s, in which he mentioned a great subterranean chamber and more blocked passageways built of immense megalithic stones. Unfortunately, there seems to be no record of the existence of these tunnels in any of the more recent publications on the ruins of Izamal and Aké. 

The Maya labyrinths: Oxkintok, Toniná, Yaxchilan

The entrance to the ancient Maya labyrinth of Toniná, in Chiapas also known as the "Palace of the Underworld". [Photo by Author]

Caves played a fundamental role in Maya cosmology as physical representations of the Underworld. At Oxkintok, Palenque, Toniná and Yaxchilan, mysterious labyrinthine passageways built underneath some of the main pyramids and palaces were meant to serve as symbolic caverns for initiation ceremonies related to the cult of death and of the ancestors. These Maya labyrinths contain underground corridors and chambers of unknown function. Over the course of initiation ceremonies, the candidate would be led in complete darkness through the confusing maze of passages and corridors, possibly under the influence of psychoactive drugs. Perhaps the best example of Maya labyrinths is found at Yaxchilan, along the Usumacinta river. The labyrinth extends on three separate levels and contains a number of blocked passages and chambers. At Oxkintok, a labyrinthine network of tunnels exists under one of the main pyramids, known as the Satunsat (meaning “Place where one gets lost”); while the labyrinth of Toniná, although of comparatively more limited extent, is perhaps the most monumental of all, with high corbelled ceilings that warranted it the name of “Palace of the Underworld”. For unknown reasons, these labyrinths were deliberately sealed or filled with rubble (as in the case of Toniná) during the 7th Century AD. It has been speculated that this occurred during a veritable “Underground revolution” during which the old gods of the Underworld were literally overthrown and their subterranean temples either sealed or destroyed.      

A lost Hall of Records at Yaxchilan?

A view of Structure 19 at Yaxchilan, being the main entrance to the labyrinth near the base of the Acropolis. [Photo by Author]

The ancient Maya labyrinth of Yaxchilan, with its labyrinthine corridors, sealed chambers and blocked passageways on at least three separate levels also appears to be a prime candidate for the location of the fabled Yucatan Hall of Records. First mentioned by the mystic Edgar Cayce in his readings, the Hall of Records is supposed to be a subterranean repository of ancient knowledge built in the days of Atlantis. This seems to be supported by local Tzeltal legends that speak of a subterranean “House of Darkness” built in the days of the mythical civilizing god and culture-hero Votan on the Usumacinta River to preserve the sacred records of his race. Teobert Maler was among the first archaeologist to conduct excavations at Yaxchilan in 1903. He was surprised to find several carved stalactites erected as stelae in front of some of the major buildings of the ancient Maya city, which led him to believe that the ruins may conceal the entrance to some immense underground caverns. It is very well possible that the lower and still unexplored levels of the Labyrinth may communicate with these caverns.  

Find out more about the Maya labyrinths of Yucatan and Chiapas and our quest for the Yaxchilan Hall of Records here (part I and part II).

And also a video from our 2018 expedition into the mysterious labyrinth and tunnels of Yaxchilan.

The mysterious cavern of Tibulca at Copán

The ancient city of Copán, in present day Honduras, is one of the greatest marvels of Maya civilization. Its discovery dates to the early 1700’s, although reports of the city’s existence had been in circulation perhaps for nearly a century before then. One of the most curious reports, published by Fuentes and quoted by several other antiquarians, including Galindo, Bancroft and Stephens, is that concerning the great cavern of Tibulca. This is usually described as a temple of great size, carved from the living rock in one side of the hill a short distance from the “Temple” and the “Great Circus” of Copan (no doubt referring to the main plaza of the ceremonial center, near the Acropolis). According to Fuentes, all these ruins still stood entire in his time around the year 1700. The underground temple of Tibulca in particular was said to be “adorned with columns, with bases, capitals and crowns”. A great number of windows, also hollowed out of the solid rock, illuminated the gloomy interior. No trace of this fabulous cavern of Tibulca could be found by later explorers, who additionally found many of the buildings first described by Fuentes in ruins, many having been washed away by the nearby river. Although a vast network of caverns was discovered in one of the hills near Copán during the 1800’s, no trace of the fabulous cavern of Tibulca nor of its underground temple has so far emerged.  

Join us on our next Expeditions

An Update on Upcoming Expeditions

The objective of this post is to share more details on some of our upcoming expeditions that may help unravel the mystery of the origins of the great and still largely unknown megalithic civilization of the Central Mexican highlands. Many of these locations are of difficult access, in remote or impervious terrain. We need motivated people to help us conduct these expeditions on the ground and document these ancient sites (with photos, videos and aerial images) – many of which have not been published before.  

Anyone interested should contact me in private at the address: unchartedruinsblog@gmail.com

Here is an initial list of sites for investigation, with some preliminary information on their significance to our quest for the lost megalithic civilization.    

1) Exploration of the Sierra de Huautla, Morelos

The construction of the walls of Chimalacatlan in an old postcard drawing [Courtesy: Mexicoenfotos.com]

We believe that the center of the megalithic civilization of ancient Mexico must be located somewhere in the still unexplored reaches of the Sierra de Huautla, a mountainous and heavily forested area to the South of the State of Morelos. This is where ancient legends located Tamoanchan, the fabulous “place of origin” of all Mesoamerican civilization – a city founded by the Gods themselves. 

In February of 2015 we explored the mysterious ruins of Chimalacatlan in the Sierra de Huautla (Link here). This is a unique megalithic site consisting of immense stone walls and platforms occupying the summit of a hill. For its cyclopean style of construction, Chimalacatlan has been compared to some of the finest megalithic constructions of Peru, and is of a type entirely unknown in Mesoamerica. The age of these ruins is unknown, but early investigators of the site conservatively situated their origin in the 1st or 2nd millennium B.C. More reports have since surfaced on the existence of more extensive structures in the mountains near the modern day town of Huaxtla. These structures have been described as clearly megalithic or cyclopean, consisting of large stone blocks measuring as much as 2 meters in length. Several pyramids, plazas and large stone walls have been reported on the site, compatible with the presence of a large city.  

The goal of the expedition will be to document and map these ruins, collect evidence for the existence of additional unexplored sites in the Sierra de Huautla and investigate their architectural analogies with other megalithic/ cyclopean structures in Mexico, Peru and elsewhere.    

Additional information from the Mexican National Institute of History and Anthropology (INAH) - Link here

2) The Lost Pyramid of Teopantepec and the “City of the Gods” on the Cerro Colorado

An illustration of the pyramid of Teopantepec, as it stood in 1807 [Dupaix, Antiquités Mexicaines, p.4, Plate 3]

In a previous article (Link here), we identified the Cerro Colorado overlooking the modern day town of Tehuacan, Puebla, as the most likely location of an ancient pyramid known from early 18th and 19th Century documents as Teopantepec (“House of God on the Mountain”). It is possible that the original structure collapsed some time after these early reports were composed, but some remains of its megalithic stone facing may still be found on the Cerro Colorado. Local traditions mention a “City of the Gods” or a “Ciudad Perdida (Lost City)” on the nearly inaccessible summit of the mountain. On the site of this supposed lost city, satellite pictures show a vast rectangular enclosure with what appear to be the remains of an ancient pyramid in the middle. 

The expedition will start from the nearby archaeological site of Tehuacan Viejo, from which a trail leads to the summit of the Cerro Colorado. It can probably be completed as a day-trip from Puebla.   

3) Acatzingo de la Piedra – A monolithic pyramid and cyclopean walls 

A short distance from the town of Malinalco (subject of another article – here), lies the town of Tenancingo and the site of Acatzingo de la Piedra. A monolithic stone pyramid has been recently found on the mountain known locally as the “Cerro de la Malinche”. The pyramid is known as the “Cama de Moctezuma”, and a number of pictures and videos of it exist over the internet. Other pictures show what appear to be portions of megalithic/ cyclopean walls partly covered by forest. 

We will use a drone to map any structures that might exist closer to the summit of the hill, as well as any visible megalithic remains. This expedition can also be completed as a day-trip from Malinalco or Mexico City.   

Additional information from the Mexican National Institute of History and Anthropology (INAH) - Link here. 

4) Mexico’s Marcahuasi – The Sacred Valley of Tepoztlán

A satellite view of the Valley of Tepoztlan, with the Popocatepetl volcano in the background [Courtesy Google Earth]

Unbeknown to many, the famous Peruvian explorer Daniel Ruzo, who first documented and publicized the mysterious rock sculptures on the plateau of Marcahuasi, spent the last years of his life in Mexico in what he called the “Sacred Valley of Tepoztlán”. There, he believed that rock sculptures even larger and older than those of Marcahuasi existed in the mountains surrounding the town of Tepoztlán. He documented hundreds of colossal rock sculptures, forming what he called a “hidden blueprint” or a map pointing to the location of a legendary “Hall of Records”. Since the publication of his book “El Valle Sagrado de Tepoztlán”, the valley has however failed to attract a similar interest to its Peruvian counterpart. 

   

The town of Tepoztlán, with its stunning landscapes and the enigmatic pyramid of Tepozteco, attracts thousands of tourists every year. Only very few of them, however, are aware of the research of Daniel Ruzo. The goal of our expedition will be to document many of the rock sculptures first described and photographed by Ruzo in his book, identifying signs or marks that could point to their artificial rather than natural origin. Because of the easy accessibility of Tepoztlán from Cuernavaca and Mexico City, this can also be completed through a number of day-trips from Mexico City. We will also use a drone to document the rock sculptures from the air and identify any other features not detectable from the ground. 

5) The Mysterious Rock of Apoala

The great 19th Century ethnologist and explorer Hubert H. Bancroft collected the following tradition of the “Flying Gods” of the Mixteca. After a great deluge, two gods appeared to repopulate the Earth: “They made a very sumptuous palace – a masterpiece of skill – in which they made their abode upon Earth…on the highest part of this building was an axe of copper, the edge being uppermost, and on this axe the heavens rested […] This rock and the palace of the Gods were on a mountain in the neighborhood of the town of Apoala in the province of Mixteca Alta. The rock was called ‘The Place of Heaven´, there the Gods first abode on Earth.”  [Hubert Howe Bancroft, The Native Races, Vol. IV] 

Such a rock does indeed exist in the vicinity of the modern day town of Santiago Apoala. Several deep caves associated with the legend exist in the gorges of Apoala, and a number of very curious petroglyphs and Olmec rock-reliefs (one in particular, known as the “Danzante”) are said to exist near the summit of the rock of Apoala. 

We will be looking for remains of ancient structures on or near the summit of the rock of Apoala, which may offer evidence for the existence of a “Palace of the Gods”. We will also investigate traditions of a labyrinth of ancient tunnels in a cave known locally as the “Cueva del Diablo (The Devil’s lair)”.  

Additional information and pictures can be found here.

6) An ancient obelisk and carved reliefs in Axutla, Puebla

A satellite view of the Rock of Huehuepiaxtla (Axutla, PUE), along the Rio Atoyaque [Courtesy Google Earth]

Also in the region of the Mixteca Alta, the village of Huehuepiaxtla (Axutla, PUE) is home to a colossal rocky outcrop known locally as “La Gran Peña (the great rock)”. A number of pictures have been circulating on the internet of ancient carved reliefs and stelae found in the vicinity of the mountain, containing unusual depictions of supernatural beings which were believed to inhabit its summit. It is also said that ancient structures, including a large “stone obelisk” may exist on the summit – although no documentation of these puzzling remains could be found.  

The expedition can probably be conducted as a day-trip from Puebla, with the objective of documenting many of these curious finds and confirm the existence of ancient megalithic structures near the summit of the Rock of Huehuepiaxtla.  

Additional information and pictures can be found here.

7) A journey into the Underworld of Teotihuacan

A large chamber in one of the caves that form the ancient Underworld of Teotihuacan, located a short distance to the East of the Pyramid of the Sun [Photo by Author]

There are reportedly miles of ancient tunnels and interconnected cave systems under the ancient pyramid-city of Teotihuacan. We confirmed the existence of the tunnels and explored a small portion of this labyrinthine network to the East of the pyramid of the Sun in February of 2017 (Link here). Additional tunnel entrances are reported to exist near the palatial complex of Oztoyahualco, near Acolman, on the Cerro Gordo and in the Sierra de Patlacique to the south of the ancient city (these latter apparently carved in a very hard andesite). 

Some of the tunnels are rumored to extend for many miles. Early archaeological reports speak of labyrinthine tunnels leading to vast hollowed chambers and pillared halls deep under the earth, which may have an association with the legendary Chicomoztoc, the “Place of the seven caves” considered to be the ancestral homeland from which emerged the ancestors of the Aztec tribes. 

This expedition is likely to require proper speleological equipment for the exploration of the underground passages. 

8) The mysterious subterraneans of Xochicalco

A portion of an ancient tunnel under the acropolis of Xochicalco [Photo by Author]

A number of ancient tunnels extend under the acropolis of Xochicalco, and there are also rumors of underground chambers and labyrinthine passageways running for many miles all around. Only a small portion of the tunnel system is presently open to the public (near the so-called solar observatory or “Cueva del Sol”). Other entrances can be found on the flanks of the acropolis, which lead to collapsed portions of the tunnel system (some of which we explored in April of 2017) – the tunnels are apparently very regular and are dug through a hard local kind of limestone. During the same trip we also documented large stretches of what appear to be polygonal/ cyclopean walls forming the substructure of the acropolis. The nearby Cerro de la Bodega is also said to contain a number of tunnel entrances.   

This expedition is also likely to require proper speleological equipment for the exploration of the underground passages. 

Link to a previous article on Xochicalco here

9) The Aztec sanctuary on Mount Tlaloc

A 3D reconstruction of the Aztec sanctuary on Mount Tlaloc and the "Ghost Mountain" optical illusion [Courtesy: masdemx.com]

The chief sanctuary of Tlaloc – the Aztec god of rain, was located on the mountain that bears the same name in the vicinity of Mexico City. The sanctuary on the summit, at an altitude of nearly 4,100 meters above sea level, is considered to be among the highest archaeological ruins in the world, and contains a number of significant astronomical alignments, including a long processional ramp and a ruined pyramid-observatory.

A curious optical phenomenon takes place on the summit of Mount Tlaloc during the month of February. Known as the “ghost mountain” (La Montaña fantasma), the phenomenon consists in an apparent optical mirage of a non-existing mountain in front of the peak of Mount Tlaloc.  

The hike to the summit of Mount Tlaloc does not require any special technical equipment, but one night of camping on the mountain is required.  

Additional information and pictures can be found here. 

10) The search for the Cross of Xaagá 

In a previous article (Link here), we described a mysterious megalithic tomb somewhere in the vicinity of Mitla. The tomb is in the shape of a cross and consists of several immense megalithic stone blocks measuring as much as 6-7 meters long. Several black and white pictures of the alleged tomb exist, dating from the early 1900’s, but its exact location has apparently been lost. If found, the tomb would be one of the largest megalithic structures in the entire American continent. The area is also characterized by the presence of rock art and cave paintings dating back thousands of years. 

One of the few existing pictures of the large cruciform tomb at Guiaroo, dating to the time of the 1902 excavations. Each one of the immense monolithic stone blocks employed in the construction measured over 6 meters long with an estimated weight of nearly 50 tons. The location of this remarkable megalithic structure has apparently been lost. [Photo Saville, 1902]

Another view of the same structure after partial excavation, taken at an angle. [Photo Saville, 1902]

An expert guide will be required for this trek, which can probably be done on horse or mule as a day trip from Oaxaca.