Lost tomb of the mysterious ‘cloud people’ unearthed after 1,400 years in ‘discovery of the decade’

This has been praised as ‘the most important archaeological discovery in a decade’.

Archaeologists in Mexico have unearthed a 1,400-year-old tomb in the Central Valleys of Oaxaca.

Built by the Zapotec culture known as the Be’ena’a, or ‘Cloud People’, the stone structure is decorated with statues, murals and carved symbols of ritual significance.

The Zapotecs believed that their ancestors descended from the clouds and at death their souls returned to the heavens as spirits.

At the entrance sits a massive carved owl with its open beak depicting the face of a Zapotec lord, a symbol that the National Institute of Anthropology and History says represents death and power.

The door is framed by a stone threshold and lintel; Above this is a frieze of engraved plates bearing ancient calendar names.

The entrance is flanked by carved figures of a man and woman, possibly guardians of the tomb, wearing headdresses and holding ritual objects.

Inside the burial chamber, preserved sections of a vibrant mural remain intact, showing a series of figures carrying bundles of copal as they move towards the entrance of the tomb.

A huge carved owl sits at the entrance; its open beak reveals the face of a Zapotec lord

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo said: ‘This is the most important archaeological discovery in Mexico of the last decade due to the level of preservation and the information it provides.’

The Zapotecs have a history of over 2,500 years.

They founded a major pre-Columbian civilization with advanced agriculture and writing, centered on Monte Albán.

The Zapotec civilization mysteriously declined in the region around 900 AD.

However, humans did not disappear completely, as at least 400,000 people live today.

Mexican Culture Minister Claudia Curiel de Icaza said the “extraordinary discovery” of the tomb was due to its preservation.

He added that it reveals what kind of culture the Zapotec culture is. Social organization with funeral ceremonies.

‘This is a compelling example of the ancient splendor of Mexico that is now being researched, preserved and shared with the community,’ he continued.

Built by the Zapotec culture known as the Be’ena’a, or ‘Cloud People’, the stone structure is decorated with statues, murals and carved symbols of ritual significance.

The picture shows the giant owl over the entrance to the tomb.

An interdisciplinary team from the INAH Oaxaca Center is currently working to preserve and protect the tomb, focusing on consolidating the fragile mural. Experts say the condition of the mural is delicate due to root growth, insect activity and sudden changes in temperature and humidity.

At the same time, researchers are conducting ceramic, iconographic and epigraphic studies, as well as physical anthropology analyses, to better understand the rituals, symbols and funerary practices associated with the tomb.

In 2024, archaeologists announced the discovery of tunnels beneath a centuries-old church, believed to be the ‘entrance to the underworld’ of the ancient Zapotec civilization.

Mitla, meaning place of the dead, was a city in southern Mexico known for its association with Pitao Bezelao, the Zapotec god of death.

But the Spanish came in the 16th century and razed the city and built a church on the ruins of the most important temple.

A priest later wrote that there was a ‘back door to hell’ beneath the city; these huge caves were believed to be the entrance to the Zapotec underworld.

However, he said they were surrounded by walls, and subsequent excavations have so far found nothing matching his description.

Using non-invasive techniques, archaeologists recently uncovered a series of chambers and tunnels beneath the city.

Five different groups of ruins were investigated: the church group, the arroyo group, the adobe group, the south group, and the column group.

The picture shows the face of the Zapotec god in the owl’s mouth.

In 2024, archaeologists announced the discovery of tunnels beneath a centuries-old church, believed to be the ‘entrance to the underworld’ of the ancient Zapotec civilization.

Archaeologists recently uncovered a series of chambers and tunnels beneath the city using non-invasive techniques

Marco Vigato, founder of Project ARX, which led the search, said: ‘Some tunnels and chambers extend to a significant depth of over 15 metres.

The underground tunnels were revealed using a combination of ground-penetrating radar, electrical resistivity tomography and seismic noise tomography.

The first method uses radar waves to model the subsurface, while the second detects buried structures by measuring the electrical flow underground.

The last method measures the speed at which seismic waves travel through the ground instead of electricity.

It has not yet been determined how old the tunnels are.

‘Natural caves in the Mitla region have been occupied and partially modified by humans for thousands of years,’ Vigato said:

‘The earliest evidence of domestication of crops in the Mitla region dates back almost 10,000 years.

‘There is currently no indication of the possible age of the tunnels under the church or other groups of structures at Mitla.

‘They may have been created by the Zapotecs, or they may be much older.’

He added: ‘Findings from geophysical surveys will need to be confirmed by archaeological methods.

‘This could determine the nature of the cavities detected beneath the site and whether they contain any artefacts of archaeological significance.’