Archaeologists may have found 'original offering' at Mexico's tallest pyramid

When someone mentions pyramids, most people's minds will automatically turn to Egypt.

But for those on Central America tours, the many pyramids located within Mexico offer an equally fascinating glimpse into ancient history.

Now, a new discovery could reveal some of the hidden secrets of Mexico's tallest pyramid - the Pyramid of the Sun at the Teotihuacn ruins just north of Mexico City.

By digging to the very heart of the 2,000 year-old structure, archaeologists believe they have discovered the original offering - ceremonial items placed at the centre of the pyramid before construction began.

The offerings include a green serpentine stone mask so delicately carved and detailed that archaeologists believe it may have been a portrait, reports the Associated Press, as well as bones of an eagle fed rabbits and feline and canine animals that haven't yet been identified.

The news was announced by Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History.

"We know that it was deposited as part of a consecration ritual for the construction of the Pyramid of the Sun," said Enrique Perez Cortes, an archaeologist at the Institute.

Susan Gillespie, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Florida who was not involved in the project, called the find "exciting and important".

"It is exciting that what looks like the original foundation dedicatory cache for what was to become the largest (in height) pyramid in Mexico (and one of the largest in the world) has finally been found, after much concerted efforts looking for it," the Associated Press quotes her as saying.

The discovery could help to shed light on the origins of the structure, which are still shrouded in mystery.

Teotihuacan was founded nearly 2,500 years ago but the identity of its rulers remains unclear, and the city was abandoned by the time the Aztecs arrived in the area in the 1300s.