Project Lyobaa Confirms Subterranean Chambers And Tunnels Under Mitla, Oaxaca

(MENAFN- GetNews) Oaxaca, Mexico - September 25, 2024 - A multidisciplinary research team led by the Mexican National Institute of History and Anthropology (INAH), the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and the ARX Association for Archaeological Research and Exploration (ARX Project, A.C.), employed a combination of different geophysical methods to confirm the existence of a network of previously undiscovered subterranean chambers and tunnels underneath the important Zapotec archaeological site of Mitla, Oaxaca.

Following a first set of geophysical scans in 2022, which revealed significant underground anomalies beneath the Church of San Pablo Apostol at Mitla, this second season of Project Lyobaa brings a deeper understanding of the extensive subterranean network of chambers, tunnels, and potential tombs hidden beneath the sacred Zapotec site.

Mitla was a major ceremonial center of the Zapotec civilization and had its greatest flourishing between the 8th and 15th centuries CE. The site is famous for its monumental stone constructions, elaborate subterranean tombs, and intricate geometric mosaic fretwork ornamentation.

Using advanced geophysical methods such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), Electric Resistivity Tomography (ERT), and Seismic Noise Tomography, researchers confirmed the existence of a large void beneath the Catholic Church's main altar, with tunnels stretching in multiple directions. This new discovery aligns with ancient accounts, including those of 17th-century Dominican Father Francisco de Burgoa, who described a labyrinth of chambers and tunnels beneath the site, considered by the ancient Zapotecs to be an entrance to the Underworld, or Lyobaa.

In 2023, the research perimeter was further expanded to include the additional groups of structures that form the ancient site. These new scans revealed further geophysical anomalies in the Calvario Group, the Arroyo Group and the South Group, which may correspond to more unexplored chambers or tombs.

Additionally, Ground Penetrating Radar revealed the potential remains of an earlier monumental stairway beneath the present floor level of the Palace in the Columns Group, with important implications for the chronology of the site.

This data will need to be corroborated with additional probes and archaeological excavations to determine the exact nature of the geophysical anomalies identified.

Read the complete research report on the ARX Project website at and watch the official video of the Project Lyobaa 2023 research season here:

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