Unexpected discovery: Researchers uncovered surprising artifacts in a Toltec ritual burial site.

During the excavation of a ritual burial site in the Toltec settlement of Tula, Mexico, archaeologists discovered starfish, shedding light on the cultural and spiritual practices of the Toltecs. Tula, which emerged around 400 B.C., became the capital of the Toltec Empire following the fall of Teotihuacan and thrived until the 12th century A.D., reports Heritage Daily.

A team from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology (ICML) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico analyzed the limestone slabs found at the site. According to Leonardo López Luján, director of the INAH Templo Mayor project, these slabs were arranged to form a "cosmogram"—a symbolic representation of the universe.

The offering dates back to approximately 950-1000 A.D. and was discovered in the Palacio Quemado, where it contained a mirror made of pyrite and turquoise, known as tezcacuitlapilli.

Surrounding the mirror was a symbolic composition representing the cardinal directions: shell beads in the north, mother-of-pearl slabs in the south, a coral fragment in the east, and limestone deposits in the west.

Further analysis revealed three specimens of Nidorellia armata, or "chocolate star," and two Pentaceraster cumingi, or "cushion stars." These starfish, native to the Pacific Ocean, are found from the Gulf of California to Peru and the Galapagos Islands, indicating ancient trade or cultural connections between the Toltec civilization and Pacific coastal communities.

These findings suggest that starfish held symbolic significance in the rituals and cosmology of the Toltecs. While starfish had previously been found in Tula and depicted in Toltec art, this discovery demonstrates their role in the worldview and spiritual life of the Toltecs.

We also reported on an unexpected archaeological discovery in Malta. Researchers uncovered an entire complex of ancient tombs.