Uncover the secret of the

A Mexican archaeologist found a large amount of liquid mercury under a Mayan pyramid in Teotihuacan, America's most mysterious ancient city.

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Detecting liquid mercury in Maya pyramid in Teotihuacan

According to archaeologist Sergio Gomez, the amount of liquid mercury was found in a room at the end of the tunnel that had been closed for nearly 1,800 years. With the supernatural meaning of liquid mercury during burial rites , Gomez hopes that the discovery will help him soon find the burial place of an ancient king.

In the six-year long journey in this tunnel, Gomez found tens of thousands of heritage, including many stone statues, jewelry and many large seashells. Progress of the excavation takes place very slowly due to high humidity, mud and now need to have a protective mask to avoid mercury poisoning.

The amount of liquid mercury was found in a room at the end of the tunnel that had been closed for nearly 1,800 years.(Source: Reuters)

If Gomez is right, his discovery will help solve the controversy over power holdings in Teotihuacan, the city with many giant stone pyramids once inhabited by 200,000 people and the center of an ancient empire that once prospered around 100-700. Some archaeologists believe that Teotihuacan is not controlled by a king but under the rule of four kings.

Unable to find a solution to why mercury has occurred here, Gomez said that the metal was used to symbolize a river or lake in the afterlife.

Previously, a small amount of mercury was found in some Maya sites, but mercury was never found in Teotihuacan. In ancient Mexico, mercury was rare because it was difficult to exploit and valued by its reflection.

Teotihuacan is a characteristic in Maya civilization. Residents of this city left the city long before the Aztecs came here to rule in the 14th century, but did not save any documents to explain why.

In the 1670s, many Spaniards excavated Teotihuacan, but it was not until the 1950s that there was a scientific excavation.