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Women and Children Photograph from Cortesía /INAH/RML/AP

Women and Children Photograph from Cortesía /INAH/RML/AP

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Women and Children Photograph from Cortesía /INAH/RML/AP

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  1. Women and Children Photograph from Cortesía/INAH/RML/AP Physical anthropologist Jorge Arturo Talavera González examines 1 of 17 skeletons—including 11 child burials—unearthed recently in Mexico City. The remains, he said, offer evidence of a merchant neighborhood of an Aztec people known as the Tepanec, whose glory days were some 700 years ago. Found with the remains of a newborn baby in her arms, the woman pictured above must have died after giving birth, said Talavera González, who is affiliated with Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). Further analysis is required to pin down causes of death for the 17 burials, but holes in some of the skulls hint at human sacrifice. Around the bodies, experts also found an altar, fragments of rooms, and various ceremonial objects. Little is known about the Tepanec, for two reasons, said Arizona State University (ASU) anthropologist Michael Smith. First, they ruled oppressively another group called the Mexica, who eventually rose to power and "systematically wrote the Tepanec empire out of the history books." Second, most Tepanec cities are located underneath Mexico City, making them difficult to investigate. 1

  2. 2 Hybrid Corn Goddess Photograph from Cortesía/INAH/RML/AP In addition to graves, the excavation—which began two months ago in advance of the construction of a new apartment building—yielded objects that may speak to the religious beliefs of the little-known Tepanec. This figurine, explained Talavera González, is a combination of the goddess of rain and the goddess of corn. The site is in an area called Azcapotzalco—in its day a rich and powerful capital and today a borough in northwestern Mexico City. According to INAH, the new findings indicateAzcapotzalco was also an eliteTepanec business district and a civil and ceremonial center.

  3. 3 Group Effort Photograph by AlexandreMeneghini, AP Lead archaeologist Alejandra Jasso Pena (far left), surveys an array of objects from the ongoing excavation. Among the artifacts are three cups, two of which would have been used to serve pulque, a slightly thick alcoholic beverage made from the agave plant. The purpose of the third, tripod-shaped cup, isn't evident, but Talavera González said all of the vessels were found bearing curious contents: the remains of burned human skulls.

  4. 4 Leaving on a High Note Photograph by AlexandreMeneghini, AP Musical instruments—like this flute found in the grave of a teenager—were possibly meant to accompany the dead into the afterlife. The teenager's grave also held bowls, plates, an incense burner, and a clay mask. "These are all items of everyday life," said ASU's Smith, "mostly used in domestic rituals or household craft activities." Still, he added, "any finds from Azcapotzalco or other Tepanec cities are important, because so few Aztec burials have ever been excavated.

  5. 5 To Be Continued Photograph by AlexandreMeneghini, AP Plans to build an apartment complex remain on hold while archaeologists continue to excavate the site in Azcapotzalco—a project Talavera González describes as a "rare opportunity for study." Further work may help unravel the mystery behind the burials—and shed light on a group of people whose history has largely been lost to the ages.

  6. 6 About Face Photograph by AlexandreMeneghini, AP Found in the grave of a teenage boy, a mask depicting the god of rain was surrounded by ceramic objects, a flute, cups, plates, bowls, and spindles. According to Talavera González, many of the artifacts had been placed upside down in the burial, which he interprets as a symbolic nod to the ephemeral nature of life.

  7. 7 Final Resting Place Photograph by AlexandreMeneghini, AP Archaeologists aren't sure why many skeletons, including the body pictured, were found in the fetal position. But Talavera González said the bodies would have had to have been arranged within three hours of dying, before stiffening could set in-a decision that suggests the Tepanec understood the physical process of rigor mortis.

  8. Questions • 1. Why is so little known about the Tepanec Empire? • a. They were a very secretive people. • b. The remains of their civilization is trapped beneath Mexico City. • c. Archeologists are more interested in the Aztec people. • d. They are all long dead. 2. How are archeologists like detectives? They follow suspicious characters They are paid by family members They work mostly at night They use clues to solve mysteries Artifact : Tripod Vessel :: Sport : ______________ Soccer Healthy Entertaining Boston Red Sox 4. What was the most important detail you learned from this reading? Explain

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