Ancient tower of Aztec Skulls found

A pillar of more than 650 preserved skulls was found set in limestone close to Templo Mayor, one of the main temples in the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. It is believed the grim tower formed part of the Huey Tzompantli, a huge display of skulls designed to terrify invaders during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century.

Among the skulls of men, archeologists discovered the walls were also filled with the heads of women and children. The skulls would have been set in the tower after they had stood on public display on the tzompantli. Roughly six meters in diameter, the tower stood on the corner of the chapel of Huitzilopochtli, Aztec god of the sun, war and human sacrifice. Its base has yet to be unearthed. 676 skulls have so far been found.