The Aztec Empire flourished across the centre of what is now Mexico in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was an alliance of three city-states — Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan.
In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadores discovered a sophisticated civilisation from which they would take many influences back to Europe and across the world.
Aztec cities were design masterpieces. The capital Tenochtitlan, over which Mexico City now stands, had a symmetrical system of streets divided into suburbs connected by a network of roads and canals.
Art, poetry and song were central features of society — poetry was so highly regarded that it was seen as the only worthy occupation of a warrior in times of peace. Chocolate originated in the empire as chichi, a beer-like drink made from the pulp of cocoa seeds.
Colossal sculptures of the Calendar Stone and the goddess Coatlicue were found near the cathedral in Mexico City almost three hundred years ago. In 1978, the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan was found only a hundred yards away.
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Leonardo L?pez Luj?n’s new find lies only a few yards to the west, in what must have been one of the most important ritual arenas of the ancient capital.
The relief panel portraying the goddess Tlaltecuhtli dwarfs almost all other Aztec art that we know, and would be a fitting marker for a royal tomb. If one exists, what would it be like?
Two elaborately decorated burial urns — those of “outstanding military captains” and thus high in the Aztec hierarchy — were found in the temple precincts some years ago and contained obsidian and jade ornaments and spear points alongside the ashes of their owners. Some of the finest Aztec jewels so far found use stones and precious metal in dazzling combinations.
These give us some idea of what we might expect from a royal interment: but so far we do not have a single Aztec imperial burial.
The conquistadores destroyed the Aztec infrastructure after defeating the empire in 1521. In the next 60 years up to 80 per cent of the indigenous population died of smallpox, typhus and other illnesses brought over from Europe.
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Whatever turns up will be more valuable for what it can tell us about Aztec life, art and death rituals than any price that could be put on it.