Mexican archeologists find largest Aztec figure

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican archeologists unveiled the largest Aztec idol ever discovered on Friday and said it could be a door to a hidden chamber at a ruined temple under the heart of Mexico City.

The Aztecs, a warlike and deeply religious people who built numerous monumental works, ruled an empire stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean and encompassing much of modern-day central Mexico.

The 12.4 tonne stone slab, 46 feet in surface area, was partially uncovered this month at the main Templo Mayor on the edge of the capital's central Zocalo square. Aztecs used the temple for worship and human sacrifice.

Excavators have been astonished by the size of the piece and its elaborate engraving of the earth god Tlaltecuhtli as they uncovered more of the slab in recent days.

Asked on Friday if it was the most important Aztec piece found, anthropologist Alvaro Barrera said: "For its size, yes, for the importance ... we have to wait to see what we discover and its context."