Mexican archeologists believe they may have found the tomb of an Aztec Emperor, if so it would be the first imperial burial site of an Aztec leader ever to have been discovered.

Last October Xispas wrote about the discovery of major Aztec ruins in Mexico City, which included the unearthing of a gigantic carved stone slab. Since then archeologists have meticulously cleaned the monolithic carving, and have confirmed the relief sculpture as a representation of Tlaltecuhtli, Earth Goddess and ruler of the underworld. When the discovery was made in October, 2006, it was evident that it was an important find, but archeologists are now saying it may be one of most important ever made.

Archeologists believe the monolithic stone of the Earth Goddess may actually be a grave marker for Emperor Ahuizotl, who ruled the Aztec Empire from 1486 to 1502. At a Nov., 16th press conference, Eduardo Matos, the country’s chief archeologist and director of all excavations of Aztec ruins in Mexico City, said, “We think this could be a gravestone covering the place where this ruler was laid to rest.”

Ahuizotl was the father of Moctezuma, the sovereign overthrown by the Spanish invaders in their conquest of the Mexica/Aztec Empire that took place from 1519-1521. All previous stone carvings of Tlaltecuhtli have been found ritualistically buried face down in the earth - this is the first carving to be found face up. In the claw of her right foot is a carved representation of a rabbit and ten dots, the Aztec glyph for 10 Rabbit, or 1502 - the year of Emperor Ahuizotl’s death. If archeologists are correct in thinking they’ve found an imperial burial chamber - then there are certainly many staggering discoveries that will soon come to light [ Read more about this story. ]