Imagine uncovering ancient starfish at a site hundreds of miles from any ocean. That’s exactly what archaeologists found at Tula, a thousand-year-old Toltec site in central Mexico. Five starfish specimens, long hidden within the ruins, are now reshaping our understanding of the cultural and symbolic connections between ancient Mesoamerican civilizations and coastal regions. And it turns out, these starfish aren’t just any relics—they’re iconic pieces of a much bigger, ocean-inspired puzzle that may reveal how ancient cultures saw their place in the universe.
Unraveling the Mystery of Tula’s Starfish Relics
Archaeologists from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), in collaboration with marine scientists from the National University of Mexico, recently identified these specimens as two distinct starfish species: Nidorellia armata, commonly known as the “chocolate chip star,” and Pentaceraster cumingi, also called the “cushion star.” These species typically thrive in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, spanning from the Gulf of California down to Peru and the Galapagos Islands. That discovery alone is enough to make any science enthusiast sit up, but it gets better.
These ancient starfish were actually unearthed back in the 1990s during a ritual deposit excavation at Tula’s Burned Palace structure. Archaeologists at the time collected thousands of these tiny calcareous plates—small skeletal structures made of calcium carbonate that form the “bones” of various marine animals, including starfish. Their dating points to somewhere between 950 and 1000 AD, smack in the middle of Tula’s bustling period as a Toltec urban and cultural hub.
Symbolic Significance: More than Just Pretty Stars
The Toltecs were known for intricate ritual symbolism, so it’s no surprise that these starfish relics were part of a grander scheme. According to Leonardo López Luján, a prominent INAH archaeologist, the arrangement of objects in the deposit was designed to represent a cosmogram—a miniature model of the universe as conceived by the ancient Toltec people. Imagine a symbolic map that connects cardinal directions, celestial bodies, and even realms beyond the known.
In this elaborate setup, different objects were carefully positioned to represent the four cardinal directions. The north held 11 beads crafted from rosacea shell, the south had 17 polished plates of mother-of-pearl, the east showcased a coral fragment, and to the west, these tiny calcareous plates of starfish, painstakingly sorted into 2,720 individual pieces weighing 64.84 grams, were placed. Each direction and material symbolized a unique facet of the Toltec cosmos, creating a microcosmic model of their understanding of life, nature, and the stars.
A Glimpse into Cross-Regional Connections
Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this discovery is the potential link it suggests between the Toltec highlands and distant coastal regions. The Toltecs, despite their inland location, maintained trade routes and cultural exchanges that reached the Pacific coast, and these starfish specimens serve as evidence of those connections. Experts believe these marine relics may have arrived through early trade networks, likely maintained during the Early Postclassic period (900–1200 AD), when Mesoamerican civilizations were bustling with exchange and influence across vast distances.
The starfish specimens at Tula may thus symbolize a bond not only with coastal resources but also with marine iconography, which influenced Toltec artistry. From sea motifs carved into stone to echoes of ocean life in Mesoamerican murals, the influence of these ancient exchanges can be seen across various artifacts from the time.
Why Starfish? The Art of Connecting to Nature
This intriguing find at Tula might hint at the Toltec fascination with natural elements that symbolized larger cosmic principles. Starfish, with their radial symmetry and almost otherworldly appearance, might have held a spiritual or cosmological significance, embodying a link between the earthly and celestial realms. Much like constellations in the sky, starfish, with their unique shapes, could have been viewed as sacred representations of the universe’s order, something that cultures around the world have found symbolic and meaningful.
The research, now published in the recent edition of Mexican Archaeology, highlights a hidden chapter of cultural exchange and spiritual symbolism that runs far deeper than a simple decorative artifact. Tula’s starfish relics serve as a bridge to the past, reminding us that even inland cultures reached toward the ocean, not just for trade, but to understand and represent their universe. These marine specimens are not just remnants of starfish—they’re fragments of an ancient worldview, pieced together by an enduring connection between land, sea, and the cosmos.
