Newly discovered Aztec Moctezuma tunnel to be re-buried due to COVID-19

In the State of Mexico, there is one of the great works that the Aztecs would leave as a national heritage: a large dam that would protect the floods to which the Valley of Mexico was constantly subjected.

Back then, the land they sought to care for was an island surrounded by shallow lakes. The end result was called Albarradón de Ecatepec.

Its construction began at the beginning of the 15th century and required the effort of thousands of indigenous people. Currently, it continues to be the scene of great archaeological discoveries for the country. For example, a tunnel discovered in October 2019, which served as a secret passage. This work was ordained by Emperor Montezuma, it is estimated that 600 years ago. It has a length of 8.4 meters. The reason was to surrender homage to Tlaloc, god of water and fertility.

However, unlike the plans that were made for the tunnel, which in its extension has some 11 pre-Hispanic images ranging from petroglyphs to stucco reliefs, turning it into an archaeological corridor in which the general public could take a tour to learn about the remains. , the find will be buried.

The sudden change of plan, according to the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), is due to the fact that you do not have enough funds at the moment to invest in such a project. It is one more consequence of the economic crisis caused by the scourge of Covid-19 pandemic.

And it is that institutions like the INAH have been forced to prioritize the allocation of resources to all the expenses necessary to provide health care to the population. It is not that the plans for the place will be permanently canceled, but that they have been postponed.

The institute has indicated that for now, it will choose to cover the pre-Hispanic and viceroyal remains found in the archaeological area, because in addition to not having the necessary capital to realize the investment that their project required, the finds in the Albarradón de Ecatepec are constantly in danger due to the high rate of vandalism suffered by the region in the one that is found, so they have the need to protect the work.

Some of the tasks performed in the tunnel are the development of a masonry formwork, which serves to protect the glyphs, to later perform a coating with earth.

It should be noted that precisely about the glyphs and stuccos of the arches there is a hypothesis that indicates that they came from the pre-Hispanic cities of Ecatepec and Chiconautla. The inhabitants of both, as it turned out, worked with the indigenous inhabitants of the area to complete the construction of the dam in just eight months.

Authorities also said that filler material dating from the period of formation, between 900 BC and 150 AD, was found in the passage during the time of the colony. These materials include glass, porcelain, majolica, a sectioned metate, a decapitated seated sculpture, and a basalt human effigy base, which served as a voussoir.

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