Robot Explorers 2,000-year-old Tunnel

The first robotic exploration of a pre-Hispanic ruins in Mexico have revealed a 2,000-year-old tunnel. The tunnel is located beneath a temple on the ruins of Teotihuacan had a roof carved arch-shaped sturdy enough to enter. Archaeologists send robotic vehicles to see whether the tunnel is safe enough for scientists to enter. 30 cm wide robot named 'Tlaloque 1' is taken from the name of the Aztec rain god.

Blurred images taken by the robot were presented by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History. The picture shows the narrow space left open the closed between 200 and 250 years after the era of Masehi. Archaeologists Sergio Gomez said that the footage showed that the roof of the tunnel is an example of tribal works of ancient Teotihuacan, located in the northern city of Mexico City.

"The tunnel with a length of 100 meters has been dug so well. Even in some places you can even see signs of the tools used by the tribe of Teotihuacan," said Sergio Gomez. The mouth of the cave was discovered in July last. The process of taking pictures showed that the tunnel is located 12 meters below the ground surface and is under the temple Quetzacoati.

Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (Inah), as archaeological agency in Mexico said that the study is the first robotic exploration is done in Mexico, and probably also the first in America. Experts said the discovery is quite important to know the social structure of tribes that Teotihuacan had been still a mystery.