During rescue operations for the Mexico City–Queretaro passenger train route, archaeologists discovered a series of Teotihuacan-era graves in central Mexico. The findings include five mine tombs, human remains, and 47 miniature ceramic vessels.
The excavation occurred at the Ignacio Zaragoza parking lot in Tula de Allende municipality, Hidalgo State. Researchers determined the settlement was inhabited between 225-600 AD, coinciding with Teotihuacan’s cultural peak. A team led by Victor Heredia Guillen surveyed approximately 2,400 square meters, uncovering foundations of a residential complex centered around courtyards.
Experts noted that the Tula region historically supplied critical raw materials, particularly lime used in constructing Teotihuacan structures. Jonathan Velasquez Palacios highlighted that the Ignacio Zaragoza monument connects small settlements to Teotihuacan through an extensive regional network. The site also contains traces of postclassic-period habitation (900–1521 AD), when Tula became the Toltec capital.
Laura Magallon Sandoval, Director of Field Work, stated ancient buildings were oriented toward cardinal directions. Over 10 graves were identified beneath and around room floors, with special focus on five tombs featuring vertical shafts leading to burial chambers carved into compacted volcanic soil.
In one tomb, archaeologists uncovered remains of eight individuals—mostly adults—with six seated. Juana Mitzi Serrano Rivero noted the remains indicate repeated tomb openings for reburial, displacing previous burial bundles. The 47 miniature vessels, significant in Mesoamerican ritual contexts rather than daily use, were accompanied by shell ornaments including a pearl pendant and a small plate. Another tomb contained engraved vessels extracted with soil for laboratory analysis.
