Archaeologists from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) uncovered a pre-Hispanic mortuary cave within the Ocampo Natural Protected Area in Coahuila. The cave contained hundreds of bones belonging to desert cultures from at least 500 years ago, estimated to correspond to 17 individuals.
The discovery was made following reports of bone theft and looting in the area, which prompted a collaborative response from INAH and the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP). Archaeologists conducted a survey of the mountains within the state of Coahuila de Zaragoza, leading to the find.
The survey revealed a narrow vertical shaft only 50 centimeters wide, leading to a hidden mortuary cave system. "Through a vertical shaft, only 50 centimeters wide, the looters reached a first level at four meters deep," explained archaeologist-expert Yuri de la Rosa Gutiérrez, according to HeritageDaily. "From there, after crossing a crack, a room opened up where, through another vertical shaft, they continued descending eight meters more."
Within this subterranean chamber, the team discovered bone remains arranged in a small semicircular chamber. Among the remains, 12 complete skulls were identified, five of which belonged to children. An anthropological analysis determined that the burials included men, women, and children of various ages.
"It is a pre-Hispanic mortuary cave with the general characteristics of the type of site in the desert," said de la Rosa Gutiérrez, noting its importance for understanding the region's nomadic inhabitants. The archaeologist noted that the burial site is similar to the Cave of La Candelaria in Coahuila, with a shaft that leads to the lower part where several chambers are located. Like the recently discovered mortuary cave, Candelaria Cave is accessed via a vertical shaft and was used for funerary burials of nomadic groups.
De la Rosa Gutiérrez and his team described the entrance as "an almost imperceptible hole in the immensity of the mountains." However, the context of the site has been altered due to looting. "The bodies must have been wrapped in the textiles, as mortuary bundles, accompanied by various objects inside the bundle and deposited on the ground, on top of baskets and mats, but unfortunately the looting altered the context," he warned.
In addition to the human remains, fifteen textile fragments from the era were found, along with fragments characteristic of desert cultures. Once the INAH rescued these vestiges, the authorities transferred them to the Regional Museum of La Laguna in Torreón, Coahuila, for preservation and further study. There, they will be cleaned for conservation and analysis.
Due to their heritage value, the mortuary cave will be officially added to Coahuila's national catalogue of archaeological sites. The designation aims to protect the site from further looting and preserve it for future research.
Written with the help of a news-analysis system.