While excavating a lot of ancient ruins in Mexico , archaeologists unearthed a hoarded wealth trove ofold clichésabout pre - colonial America : bloody forfeit , skinned world , epic sculptures of God , and volcanic careen skulls .
A squad from Mexico’sNational Institute of Anthropology and History(INAH ) have now verified the first know temple dedicated to Xipe Tótec , a highly crucial pre - Hispanic god , near Ndachjian - Tehuacán in the key state of Puebla .
Xipe Tótecis among the earliest known pre - Latino deities , but he was also worshipped by many other cultures through most of Mesoamerican right up until the Spanish conquest of the Americas , including the infamous Aztecs . He was most often revere as the god of spring , rebirth , freeing , vegetation , and agriculture .
Ancient Popoloca people worship the godthrough a fete known as Tlacaxipehualiztli , which translate from Nahuatl to mean “ the skinning / flaying of men . ”Their myth told a narrative about how Xipe Tótec would flay himself and range his cutis across the Earth every spring , replenish the soil with new life and botany . As such , the skinning of human race came to symbolise metempsychosis and the renewal of the season .
Around two circular altars at the temple , priests wouldsacrifice an unlucky someone , shin them , and then get into their skin . The researchers are passably certain this grisly practice take place in the synagogue based on sculpture discover within the complex . First of all , the temple date stamp to between 1000 and 1260 CE , a time when other root show sacrificial rituals took place at similar sites . Also , the sculptures appear to personify Xipe Tótec himself , map by two " skinned " skulls and a torso covered with sacrificial skin .
The sculptures are chip at out of volcanic John Rock , potential rhyolite , which is n’t naturally found in the realm . This suggest that the textile was imported from elsewhere in Central America . Unusually , the sculpture depicting Xipe Tótec has a skirt of feathering , not often seen on pre - Latino deities . It also has a right manus hanging from the left arm thought to act the hand of a sacrificed person .
" Sculpturally it is a very beautiful piece . It measure out approximately 80 centimeters high and has a hole in the stomach that was used , according to the sources , to set a green gemstone and ' endow them with aliveness ' for the ceremonies , " archaeologist Luis Alberto Guerrero said ina statement .
The skulls are around 70 centimetre ( 27.5 inches ) tall and press about 200 kilograms ( 440 pound ) . It is thought they were used to wrap up the hole in the flat coat in front of the alters , where the human ritual killing cutis would be post , after being wear by the priests .
The rest period of the tabernacle site is yet to be explored but they are hoping to find more evidence of this grim but fascinating practice .
