This 2000 year old mask was found at the base of the Pyramid of the Sun
Archaeologists are always finding fascinating things on their digs.
Whether it be the bones of a long deceased pharaoh or some previously unknown artefact, there’s never a dull day at the office.
Or at the ancient ruin, as it were.
Things were no different at this dig in Mexico where something rather peculiar was discovered.
They were at the Pyramid of the Sun, one of Mexico’s most impressive monuments from a time before colonisation.
It’s estimated to have been built around 100 CE.
Not many artefacts were initially found on site, but a 2011 dig by researchers from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History turned up some interesting finds.
Using a tunnel built by archaeologists in the 1930s, the group got to the mother-rock level.
It was here that they found some items, including shards of clay pottery, animal bones and three serpentine human figurines.
But what stood out to them the most was a green serpentine mask.
The reason this was of particular interest was because they’d never found one before in that region, certainly not in a ritual context.
It’s believed that these items had all been left as part of a inauguration ritual for the temple’s construction.
There’s even reason to believe that the mask itself might be a portrait, given how lifelike it appears to be.
A portrait of who you might wonder?
Well, people on social media have wasted no time pointing out the striking resemblance this archeological find has to Jim Carrey’s iconic 90s movie The Mask.
“Sssmokin’!” one Reddit user couldn’t resist saying.
Another wrote: “
Uh oh, here we go again. DO NOT PUT THAT ON YOUR FACE!!!”, while another added: “Jim Carrey has entered the chat.”
Back to reality, however, this is all based within the ancient city of Teotihuacan.
It was the visiting Aztecs who called gave the temple it’s iconic name.
What it was called originally remains unknown.
At its peak, Teotihuacan was a bustling city populated by 200,000 people.
Yet, despite their impressive population stats, relatively little is known about them in the present day.
Even their disappearance remains shrouded in mystery.
The room beneath the temple holds promise for archaeologists of the future, as it is connected to a 49 foot wide room.
Verónica Ortega, director of the Integral Conservation Project for the Plaza of the Moon, said: “These large offering complexes constitute the sacred heart of the city of Teotihuacán, the reason why everyone saw it as the mecca of the civilization.
“What can be found inside them will help unravel the relationship this ancient metropolis had with other regions of Mesoamerica.”
Ancient civilisations have been a source of fascination for centuries and will continue to fascinate for decades to come.
It’s not all swinging over chasms like Indiana Jones – these archaeologists are finding a lot of interesting stuff.
