TULA.- Colonial vestiges of the first half of the XVI century, as well as evidence of Toltec and Mexica occupations, between 500 and 1000 years old which consist of construction remains were discovered in the atrium of the San Jose Cathedral in Tula, Hidalgo.

With the support of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Hidalgo and the support of the Tula diocese, the American archaeologist Shannon Dugan Iverson found said evidence, as part of an investigation that was conducted on the early Franciscan sites of the region.

The material evidence found after two months of digging, signals an early occupation similar to the one found in another early Franciscan temple, the open chapel that is found inside the Archaeological Zone of Tula, said Shannon Dugan.

“In the atrium of the San Jose cathedral we have identified the same pattern as the one found in the chapel, which consists of evidence of Toltec buildings, which date back to 900 and 1000 AD. Mexicas formerly modified these, some centuries later. At the same time, over these vestiges we have found remains of colonial structures”, she added.

The structures are 83 meters (272.31 feet) apart, and according to historic data, the cathedral was started in 1550, 20 years after the open chapel.

In one of the two excavations, archaeologists detected a series of basalt rock and tepetate (limestone) block alignments, which could belong to a colonial structure from the first decades of the XVI century. Small concentrations of fragments of tile and oilcans, associated to the foundation, were important to this finding’s dating.

In the other excavation, in an intrusive context of colonial era debris, they found a real (colonial era coin).

After this layer of colonial materials —which is the most superficial— we can find vestiges of the Mexica occupation.

The archaeological context has also helped confirm the abandonment of the region during the Mexica expansion. The materials of this era are Aztec III and IV (1350 – 1520), which means they were about to come in contact with the Spaniards.

“The lack of mayor concentrations of tile and the high concentration of Aztec ceramic objects, obsidian knives and anthropomorphic figures, which points to the change in the material culture of the region once the Conquest was fulfilled”, said Shannon Dugan.