Ancient tomb with strange owl sculpture Mexico’s ‘most significant’ find in decade
Tomb discovery sheds new light on ancient Zapotec culture
- An ancient Zapotec tomb, dating back to 600 AD, has been unearthed in southern Mexico, hailed as the "most significant archaeological discovery in a decade" by President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.
- The 1,400-year-old tomb, found in Oaxaca, showcases intricate details including a sculpture of an owl with a man in its beak, multicoloured murals, and carvings of calendars.
- Researchers suggest the owl, representing night and death in pre-Hispanic culture, indicates the man in the sculpture was an honoured ancestor.
- Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) states the discovery offers crucial insights into the Zapotec culture's social organisation, funeral rituals, and worldview.
- Archaeologists are currently undertaking conservation and research efforts at the site, which also features stone tombstones and "extraordinary" mural paintings depicting a procession.