A new study has brought fresh attention to the ancient city of Teotihuacan with what experts are calling a groundbreaking discovery: a possible lost writing system hidden in plain sight on its murals and pottery. The finding could offer long-awaited clues about the people who once lived in one of ancient Mexico’s most powerful cities.
Two researchers from the University of Copenhagen, Magnus Pharao Hansen and Christopher Helmke, analyzed hundreds of markings scattered across the city’s colorful artwork. Their study, published in Current Anthropology, suggests these marks may not be simple decorations. Instead, they appear to follow patterns similar to early forms of language, pointing to a previously unknown way of recording information.
The city of Teotihuacan was founded around 100 B.C. and abandoned nearly 700 years later. At its peak, the city was home to over 100,000 people. Despite its size and influence, historians know very little about the culture, language, or people who lived there. This recent study could help bridge that knowledge gap by unlocking the meanings behind the city’s cryptic symbols.
Traces of lost language hidden in Teotihuacan symbols
The researchers focused their attention on logograms — symbols representing words or sounds — that appear throughout Teotihuacan’s surviving artifacts. Some of these resemble visual shorthand, with drawings that represent not just objects, but also ideas or sounds. One example includes the image of a coyote, which may represent the actual word “coyote” or serve a sound-based function when combined with other symbols.
To understand the writing, Hansen and Helmke studied an early version of Nahuatl, a language spoken by the Aztecs and still used today in parts of Mexico. They say the symbols likely represent an early form of this language family. But they stress that modern Nahuatl alone can’t explain the full meaning — just as modern English wouldn’t help much in reading Old English manuscripts.
This connection also raises questions about the timeline of the Aztecs’ presence in central Mexico. Until now, experts believed Nahuatl-speaking peoples arrived in the area only after Teotihuacan’s collapse. Hansen and Helmke’s findings suggest the roots of this language could be far older, potentially linking the Aztecs to Teotihuacan’s original population.
A mystery still being pieced together
Despite the promising discovery, researchers acknowledge that the evidence is limited. Many symbols appear only once or in fragments, making it difficult to confirm a full system. Hansen explained that repeated use of certain signs in similar ways would help prove their theory, and further discoveries will be key.
The academic response has been strong, with international scholars expressing interest. Hansen and Helmke plan to organize workshops with other researchers to deepen their investigation and test their ideas further.
If more evidence supports their claims, the discovery could reshape how historians understand Teotihuacan and its people — not only giving them a voice through their writing, but also tying them more closely to the cultural roots of modern Mexico.