Sealed Teotihuacan Tunnel Yields 100,000 Artifacts After 1,800 Years. Tunnel sealed around 250 AD with nearly 1,000 tons of earth and stone Sealed for 1,800 years until rainstorm opened sinkhole in 2003 Archaeologist Sergio Gomez lowered himself into tunnel blocked by massive stones
Sealed around 250 CE with nearly 1,000 tons of earth and stone, a tunnel beneath Teotihuacan stayed hidden for 1,800 years until a sinkhole opened it in 2003. After six years of careful mapping, archaeologists broke ground and recovered over 100,000 artifacts including jade from Honduras and four greenstone figures still in their original positions. The 330-foot passage leads to a cross-shaped chamber containing pools of liquid mercury. Why it was sealed and its purpose—whether underworld recreation, royal burial marker, or symbolic tomb—remains debated.
Key Facts
- Tunnel sealed around 250 AD with nearly 1,000 tons of earth and stone
- Sealed for 1,800 years until rainstorm opened sinkhole in 2003
- Archaeologist Sergio Gomez lowered himself into tunnel blocked by massive stones
- Excavation took 6 years of mapping before breaking ground
- Over 100,000 artifacts recovered including jade from Honduras, pyrite fragments
- Four greenstone figures found still in position after nearly two millennia
- Tunnel runs 330 ft with cross-shaped chamber below pyramid center
- Pools of liquid mercury found in carved depressions
- City burned around 550 AD and its people vanished
- Purpose of tunnel debated: underworld recreation, royal burial marker, or symbolic tomb
Related site: Teotihuacan — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: 5 Ancient Tunnels That Were Never Meant to Be Found by Dark5 Ancient Mysteries