14 DAY TRIAL // Archaeologists exploring the Temple of Feathered Serpent (a.k.a. the Temple of Quetzalcoatl) in Mexico have recently made one very interesting discovery.
Long story short, they stumbled upon hundreds of mysterious yellow orbs that were scattered around a hidden chamber located precisely beneath the temple.
The chamber in which these spheres were found is located at the end of a 2000-year-old tunnel.
Information shared with the public says that the orbs were found with the help of drones and robots that were sent to make head and tail of this hidden chamber using infrared scanners.
Gizmodo reports that, for the time being at least, the archaeologists who found these orbs find themselves at a loss for words when asked to explain what these orbs are and what purpose they served.
Given the fact that the orbs were found beneath said ancient temple, the researchers cannot help but assume that they were used in various religious rituals.
“They look like yellow spheres, but we do not know their meaning. It’s an unprecedented discovery,” archaeologist Jorge Zavala told members of the press.
By the looks of it, the orbs are all covered in jarosite, i.e. a bi-product of the oxidization of pyrite commonly referred to as Fool's Gold. As the researchers explain, the orbs owe their yellowish color to this surface layer of jarosite.
The walls of the chamber in which the orbs were hiding are also covered in jarosite, the archaeologists say.
Despite their looking strikingly similar to golden spheres, the orbs are actually made from clay.
Interestingly enough, some orbs are bigger than others. Thus, some measure just 1.5 inches (about 3.8 centimeters) in diameter, whereas others have a diameter of up to 5 inches (roughly 12.7 centimeters).
The Temple of the Feathered Serpent where this archaeological discovery was made is located in the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan, at a distance of about 30 miles (almost 50 kilometers) from Mexico City.