As the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico (INAH), a Mexican federal agency, conducted excavations at the site of a recently discovered pyramid, the institute announced in a statement that it was ending to the excavations due to a lack of budget. The 1,375-year-old pyramid was found by chance last June while workers were working on the extension of the Pachuca – Huejutla highway to San Augustin Metzquititlán (Hidalgo state, east-central Mexico).
Called Structure 1, it measures more than 304 meters high. It would have been the center of a larger site, which also included 10 mounds housing temples which did not stand the test of time. During the INAH excavations, archaeologists were able to recover more than 155 objects, ranging from shells to cave paintings.
Archaeologists believe the site dates from the pre-Columbian era of the Metzca, a society that lived in the Hidalgo region between the Epi Classic period (650 to 950 AD) and the Post Classic (1350- 1519 AD). This discovery is important because no remains of this society had previously been found in this area. According to Hector Labra Chavez in Artnews, the tourism director of the neighboring city, “it should be the subject of further research to determine the cultural context of this important discovery”.
But the budget cuts made since October by the new Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum, which also affect the cultural sector, do not allow this. In 2024, the Ministry of Culture received a total budget of 16.8 million pesos (approximately 800,000 euros), in 2025 it will only receive 12.8 million (approximately 606,000 euros). INAH is not spared. In 2025, the institute will receive a budget almost 45% lower than in 2024, going from 370,000 euros to 210,000 euros. This reduction led to numerous protests. According to members of the National Union of Workers of the Ministry of Culture (SNDTSC), “this reduction affects the work of the institute and its responsibilities in terms of heritage protection” (Imparcial – El mejor Diario de Oaxaca).
Although it is not yet known whether excavations at San Augustin Metzquititlá will resume, archaeologists have ensured that protective measures are taken. In addition to taking samples and creating 3D models of the site, it is planned to cover it with a geotextile fabric and bury it again to guarantee its conservation. INAH also expressed its intention to build a wall 43 meters long and 11 meters high around the site in order to protect it.
