MEXICO PROTECTS ANCIENT TEMPLE WHILE HOTEL IS BUILT ABOVE

[Judi Lynn]

Jun 7, 6:33 PM EDT






AP Photo
A temple to the Aztec wind god Ehecatl lays unearthed
within the property of a hotel in Mexico City, Wednesday,
June 7, 2017. Plans to expand the hotel have been put
on hold after archaeologists unearthed a 1400's temple
to the Aztec wind god Ehecatl and a ceremonial ball
court under the property. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)


MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Plans to expand a hotel in Mexico City are on hold after archaeologists unearthed a 1400s-era temple to the Aztec wind god Ehecatl and a ceremonial ball court under the property.

The find could spark nightmares for any squeamish hotel guests: The carefully severed neck bones of 32 people were found in a ceremonial pit next to the ball court.

Archaeologist Eduardo Matos announced the find Wednesday from excavations conducted in 2009-2016.

The hotel owns the property and will be allowed to build above the ruins, using pilings carefully placed so the Aztec structures aren't disturbed. The round temple and the stair-like ball court will remain open below to the public.

Players were frequently sacrificed at the end of the ceremonial ball game.


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_MEXICO_ARCHAEOLOGY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2017-06-07-18-33-55

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