Aztec 'tower of skulls' reveals more of its gruesome secrets

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Aztec treasure discovered at Mexico City construction site

There wasn’t much known about a 4-pound gold bar discovered during construction work in Mexico City nearly 40 years ago, but now experts are calling the precious metal an Aztec relic. The gold bar has been identified as a long-lost Aztec treasure that was stolen by Spanish conquistadors nearly 500 years ago.

Archaeologists in Mexico have found 119 more human skulls in a grisly Aztec "tower of skulls."

Some 484 skulls had previously been found at the tower, according to Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

The discovery was made on the east side of the "Huei Tzompantli," a grisly Aztec trophy rack, which is near the Templo Mayor in Mexico City. The Huei Tzompantli was the main trophy rack of sacrificed humans in the ancient city of Tenochtitlan.

Two towers of mortared skulls flanked the rack.

GRUESOME HUMAN SACRIFICE DISCOVERY: SKULLS REVEAL GRISLY SECRETS OF LOST AZTEC CITY

The skulls are believed to date to between 1486 and 1502.

Archaeologists have discovered 119 more human skulls in the Aztec 'tower of skulls.' (Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History [INAH]))

The sacrificed skulls, found about 3.5 yards below street level, included some from women and children and officials saw the huge pile of skulls as a sign of the power and prestige of the pre-Hispanic city.

Spanish conquistadors destroyed Tenochtitlan and paved over its ruins following their conquest of the city in 1519.

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The excavation near the Templo Mayor has been revealing the grisly secrets of the lost Aztec city since the main trophy rack area was discovered in 2015.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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