Latest news with #AdriánBeltránDimas
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Trash' found deep inside a Mexican cave turns out to be 500-year-old artifacts from a little-known culture
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. While investigating a cave high in the mountains of Mexico, a spelunker thought she had found a pile of trash from a modern-day litterbug. But upon closer inspection, she discovered that the "trash" was actually a cache of artifacts that may have been used in fertility rituals more than 500 years ago. "I looked in, and it seemed like the cave continued. You had to hold your breath and dive a little to get through," speleologist Katiya Pavlova said in a translated statement. "That's when we discovered the two rings around the stalagmites." The cave, called Tlayócoc, is in the Mexican state of Guerrero and about 7,800 feet (2,380 meters) above sea level. Meaning "Cave of Badgers" in the Indigenous Nahuatl language, Tlayócoc is known locally as a source of water and bat guano. In September 2023, Pavlova and local guide Adrián Beltrán Dimas ventured into the cave — possibly the first time anyone has entered it in about five centuries. Roughly 500 feet (150 m) into the cave, the ceiling dipped down. The pair of explorers had to navigate the flooded cave with a gap of just 6 inches (15 centimeters) between the water and the cave ceiling. "Adrián was scared, but the water was deep enough, and I went through first to show him it wasn't that difficult," Pavlova said. While taking a break to look around, Pavlova and Beltrán were shocked to discover 14 artifacts. "It was very exciting and incredible!" Pavlova said. "We were lucky here." Related: 2,500-year-old burials of 3 people discovered in a cave in Mexico Among the artifacts were four shell bracelets, a giant decorated snail shell (genus Strombus), two complete stone disks and six disk fragments, and a piece of carbonized wood. Pavlova and Beltrán immediately contacted Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), which sent archaeologists to recover the artifacts in March. Given the arrangement of the bracelets — which had been looped over small, rounded stalagmites with "phallic connotations" — the archaeologists speculated that fertility rituals were likely performed in Tlayócoc cave, they said in the statement. "For pre-Hispanic cultures, caves were sacred places associated with the underworld and considered the womb of the Earth," INAH archaeologist Miguel Pérez Negrete said in the statement. RELATED STORIES —Cave of Crystals: The deadly cavern in Mexico dubbed 'the Sistine Chapel of crystals' —Mysterious Maya underground structure unearthed in Mexico —'Stunning' discovery reveals how the Maya rose up 4,000 years ago Three of the bracelets have incised decorations. An S-shaped symbol known as "xonecuilli" is associated with the planet Venus and the measurement of time, while the profile of a human-like figure may represent the creator god Quetzalcoatl. Pérez dated the artifacts to the Postclassic period of Mesoamerican history, between A.D. 950 and 1521, and suggested that they were made by members of the little-known Tlacotepehua culture that inhabited the region. "It's very likely that, because they were found in a close environment where humidity is fairly stable, the objects were able to survive for so many centuries," Pérez said.
Miami Herald
18-04-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
What lies in hidden passage of Mexico cave — and four other mysteries solved
The summaries below were drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All linked stories were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists. Throughout history, cultures have left behind a trail of breadcrumbs for archaeologists to follow. New sites and artifacts are found all the time, revealing forgotten secrets of the past. Here are some of the latest discoveries: Prehistoric mammoth-ivory artifacts challenge experts to explain their use In western Ukraine, archaeologists uncovered mammoth ivory artifacts dating back around 400,000 years near Medzhybizh. These ivory pieces, showing signs of intentional modification, may represent the earliest evidence of deliberate ivory processing, possibly crafted by children as imitations of tools. The discovery raises questions about the purpose of these artifacts, as ivory is less durable than stone for toolmaking. | Published April 10 | Read More | Cave guide enters unknown passage for first time — and helps make ancient discovery In the Guerrero mountains of southern Mexico, cave guide Adrián Beltrán Dimas and Russian speleologist Yekaterina Katiya Pavlova discovered a hidden room in Tlayócoc cave. They found centuries-old artifacts, including shell bracelets and stone discs, linked to the Tlacotepehua ethnic group from the Postclassic period. These artifacts, found in a cave considered part of the underworld, may be connected to ideas of creation and fertility. | Published April 11 | Read More | Ancient military tomb — with ceiling of murals — discovered in China. See inside In Linfen, China, archaeologists uncovered a Yuan Dynasty tomb with a domed ceiling adorned with murals. The tomb, belonging to Lieutenant Liu, contained human remains, grave goods, and inscriptions detailing Liu's life as a commander. This discovery provides insight into the burial practices and artistic expressions during the Mongol rule in China. | Published April 14 | Read More | 175-year-old theory about riverside ruins in Austria turns out to be true In eastern Austria, the ruins known as 'Ödes Schloss' were confirmed to be a Roman bridgehead fort, validating a 175-year-old theory. Excavations revealed well-preserved Roman ruins, including walls and artifacts like bricks stamped with Roman military units. This find is the first of its kind in Austria and sheds light on Roman military strategies and their influence in the region. | Published April 16 | Read More | Shepherd finds bones sticking out of hill in Romania. It was an ancient grave In Urlați, Romania, a shepherd named Cosmin Florin Dumitrache discovered an ancient grave exposed by a landslide on Vârful Scoruș hill. The grave, dating back about 5,000 years to the early Bronze Age, contained the well-preserved remains of an adult male buried with a possible stone ax and ceramic pieces. This discovery adds to Dumitrache's history of finding ancient remains, as he previously uncovered medieval bones in 2024. | Published April 16 | Read More | McClatchy News continues to follow the discovery of intriguing archaeological discoveries from around the globe. Check back to see the latest finds.
