Deep beneath the ruined Mesoamerican metropolis of Teotihuacan 4 bouquets of flowers have been found. Rigorously deposited in a sacred tunnel beneath an enormous stone pyramid, archaeologists suspect this curious botanical discovery was an providing left round 1,800 years in the past to the Feathered Serpent, identified to the Maya as Kukulkan and the Aztec Quetzalcoatl.

Montezuma providing incense to Quetzalcoatl. (Public Domain)

Lakes of mercury, jewel-eyed figures, solid-jade masks, and necklaces beaded with human enamel. This stuff have all been unearthed since 2003 when researchers first found the tunnel beneath the Pyramid of the Feathered/Plumed Serpent in Teotihuacan, Mexico. In 2017, The Guardian defined that the “ritual passageway” had been sealed off 1,800 years in the past and that it contained a storehouse of “1000’s of extraordinary treasures”.

Tiny swimming pools of liquid mercury represented ethereal lakes. The tunnel’s partitions had been fastidiously impregnated with powdered pyrite, or idiot ’s gold, in order that they sparkled in low-light, like our galaxy of twinkling stars. Now, on this timeworn passage of myths and mysteries that staged historic rites, some 59 toes (17.98 meters) under the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, archaeologists have found 4 bouquets of flowers courting to nearly 2,000 years in the past. The temple was contructed arond this time, and so it’s seemingly the tribute was being paid to honor the Feather Serpent god, intently associated to the Maya Kukulkan and the Aztec creator god, Quetzalcoatl.

Archaeologists have found bouquets of flowers that had been choices to the Feathered Serpent some 2,000 years in the past. (La Jornada/YouTube Screenshot)

Twisted in Time for Nearly 2,000 Years

Positioned about 30 miles (50km) north of Mexico Metropolis, Teotihuacan is an enormous non secular website and archaeological complicated that was constructed round 100 BC and existed till the eighth century. Working down the center of the positioning is the well-known “Avenue of the Useless” which unites the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Solar with the Temple of Quetzalcoatl. Labyrinths of tunnels join temples with palaces and above floor the foundations of properties, workshops, markets, and sacred avenues encrust this as soon as thriving heart that at its peak supported a inhabitants of round 200,000.

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In line with Mexican information outlet La Jornada, Sergio Gómez, an archaeologist at Mexico’s Nationwide Institute of Anthropology and Historical past, stated the flower stems had been nonetheless sure along with the unique twisted cotton cords. Gómez said the invention was “essential” as a result of it speaks of the traditional rituals and rites that had been carried out at this subterranean non secular website.

Archaeologists found 4 bouquets of flowers some 59 toes under the temple of the Feathered/Plumed Serpent. (La Jornada)

Whereas it isn’t but identified precisely when the flowers had been deposited, the archaeologist believes they correspond with the primary phases of building at Teotihuacan that occurred between 1,800 and a pair of,000 years in the past.

Choices to a Twin God of Life and Demise?

For solutions to this thriller method forward of the official report on this discovery let’s reverse in by asking the query: why didn’t the archaeologists discover extra gold, jade, or human-teeth jewellery? Why flowers? Though Aztecs arrived at this metropolis a lot later, maybe we are able to work this out by taking a look at what is thought of their intently associated god Quetzalcóatl . This “creator” deity, was worshiped proper throughout historic Mesoamerica in affiliation with the origins of new life, and loss of life. In line with researcher Alfonso Caso, “Quetzalcóatl was related to the planet Venus as a morning star,” however he was at all times worshiped as “The Valuable Twin” of his brother “Xolotl” (Tezcatlipoca,) the night star. Stick with me right here…

What this all means is that Quetzalcóatl represented just one side of the twin, or polar nature of our universe – the vitality plentiful mild that created the universe and all the pieces dwelling in it. Conversely, his twin brother ruled the darkness, illness, and loss of life that threatened to destroy all. Because of this Quetzalcóatl was the god of winds and rain, the creator of the timber, crops, and flowers, and why in historic artwork he’s depicted as being lifeless with “flowers” rising from his hair. There it’s of us, when lifeless, Quetzalcóatl was visualized with “flowers rising from his hair.” So this newest discovery additional strengthens the hyperlinks between the previous Feathered Serpent god and the newer Aztec beliefs.

• The Planet Venus as a Image of Demise and Resurrection in Historical Mesoamerica
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Did the Feathered Serpent Desire Recent Flowers, Or Decaying Petals Maybe?

Figuring out Quetzalcóatl was worshiped as a divine grasp of common fertility, accountable for the creation of all the pieces, with out whom harvests could be dire, it makes good sense that his lifeless type was represented with sprouting flowers, or new life. It’s in spite of everything from the decaying stems of this yr’s harvest that fields are revitalized with diet for the subsequent yr. Contemplating the shut relation of the Aztec god and its earlier incarnaton, is that this maybe why “flowers” had been uncovered within the ritual tunnel deep beneath the temple of the Feathered Serpent?

Head of the Feathered Serpent. (Josué /Adobe Inventory)

We could be nearly certain that somebody intentionally left the flowers within the tunnel, for less than these initiated into the best ranges of the controlling priesthood ever accessed this sacred area. There, in low mild, somebody left 4 bunches of flowers for his or her creator god’s pleasure. Whereas Quetzalcóatl might need most well-liked the freshly lower fragrant stems of his creation, his brother might need cherished the decaying reminder of his previous creations, and people but to return.

High Picture: Carvings on the Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent) Pyramid at Teotihuacan, Mexico. Supply: Kit Leong /Adobe Inventory

Replace: Correction of description of Teotihuacan as Maya metropolis.

By Ashley Cowie