Colorful murals decorate 800-year-old tombs of indigenous Mexican people. Look inside
.jpeg "Archaeologists in Oaxaca found five pre-Hispanic tombs, all over 800 years old, with colorful murals from the Zapotec people, photos show.")
Armed with weapons and shields, a group of warriors fight a fierce battle, their efforts preserved in red and black pigment — memorialized as a mural. Century after century, the warriors stood on the wall of a tomb complex in Mexico.
Archaeologists excavating a tomb complex in San Pedro Nexicho found themselves face-to-face with the faded fighting figures, Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History said in a news release Wednesday, Jan. 18.
Excavations at the site uncovered five tombs dating from 200 A.D.to 1,200 A.D., researchers said. The burial sites belonged to the Zapotec people, an indigenous Mexican people group that formed one of the largest and most important pre-Hispanic settlements in the region.
The Zapotec — whose people and culture still thrive today — were the “first American society to develop a written tradition,” according to teaching materials from Haverford University.
Located on a mountain terrace, the largest tomb had a small ramp leading into the cross-shape burial structure, according to the release. Paintings decorated the walls, black-outlined figures moving across a deep red background, photos show.
.jpeg "Aunque hay pinturas en todos los muros,ejecutadas en un estilo códice,destacan escenas de guerra.Archivo Tecnico San Pedro Nexicho- (2).jpeg")
A neighbor found this mural-covered tomb in 2010, and archaeologists spent years studying the site and restoring the structure to its former glory, officials said.
During this project, archaeologists uncovered four more Zapotec tombs, all over 800 years old. Some of these tombs had been looted, leaving only a few items behind such as small beads and fabric scraps, researchers said. Two tombs, however, remained untouched for centuries, their full burials intact.
In these untouched tombs, researchers found bones of the deceased and 240 objects, including writing tablets and sculptures in a unique mountain style. Photos show a few of these funerary objects.
.jpeg "La directora del Proyecto, Nelly Robles García, señala que, alertado de esta circunstancia por la FAHHO, el Centro INAH Oaxaca.Proyecto Nexicho (1).jpeg")
.jpeg "La directora del Proyecto, Nelly Robles García, señala que, alertado de esta circunstancia por la FAHHO, el Centro INAH Oaxaca.Proyecto Nexicho (2).jpeg")
In total, archaeologists have found about a dozen ancient Zapotec tombs, according to the release. These five tombs provide a glimpse into the burial customs for elites during pre-Hispanic times.
San Pedro Nexicho is in the state of Oaxaca and about 305 miles southeast of Mexico City.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).
This story was originally published January 20, 2023 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Colorful murals decorate 800-year-old tombs of indigenous Mexican people. Look inside."
