Giant pyramid 'appears' in the middle of the highway in Mexico

An emergency rescue excavation was launched when a thousand-year-old pyramid suddenly appeared in the middle of the construction site.

According to Heritage Daily , at a construction site within the framework of the Federal Highway 105 project in Hidalgo state - Mexico, workers were extremely surprised to discover a giant pre-Hispanic pyramid.

Highway construction was quickly suspended in the area to allow archaeologists from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) to conduct rescue excavations.

The mysterious pyramid is located right in the middle of the highway construction site, right next to a completed section of the road - (Photo: CINAH Hidalgo).

According to an INAH press release, the pyramid above - known as 'Structure 1' - belongs to a settlement tentatively called 'San Miguel' because of its proximity to the town of San Miguel Metzquititlán.

The entire ancient settlement consists of five separate areas with at least ten mounds, dating from the Epiclassic period (650–950 AD) to the Late Postclassic period (1350–1519 AD).

It is the period that Mexicans generally refer to as the "pre-Hispanic period ," that is, before the Spanish invasion of the region in the 16th century, marked by the fall of the Aztec capital in 1521.

Excavations of the pyramid area also uncovered 155 artifacts, including pottery, shells, stone artifacts and materials such as lime, charcoal and charred wood.

After a comprehensive study of Structure 1, the base of the pyramid was reinforced with a 43 m long masonry wall along the archaeological section.

The entire structure was then buried underground to preserve it and allow the highway to be completed.

Archaeologists believe that Structure 1 and the entire settlement may be related to the Metzca lords who settled in the Sierra Alta region of Hidalgo state.

'This new data will contribute to the understanding of ancient life in the Sierra Alta region of Hidalgo, specifically in the Barranca de Metztitlán area, where according to historiography, the first settlements may have existed as early as 14,000 years ago' - INAH said.