Mexican archaeologists say they have found a cave at the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza with offerings of about 200 ceramic vessels in nearly untouched condition. The National Institute of Anthropology and History says the vessels appear to date back to around 1,000 A.D.

Mexican authorities have announced that at least 200 millennium-old ceramic artefacts have been discovered in an underground ritual cave in the Mayan city of Chichen Itza.

According to Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), the cave, which was discovered 50 years ago but has remained unexplored, is called Balamku, Efe news reported.The cave is located 2.7 km from the Temple of Kukulkan at the Chichen Itza complex on the Yucatan peninsula.

On Monday, INAH archaeologist Guillermo de Anda told the media that this was the most important discovery since the Balamkanche cave was found in the 1950s.

Most of the objects found are censers dedicated to Tlaloc, the water god, used for rituals and as offerings in the late classic period of Mayan civilisation, from the 7th to 10th centuries.

Mexican archaeologists say they have found a cave at the Mayan ruins of Chichen Itza with offerings of about 200 ceramic vessels in nearly untouched condition. The National Institute of Anthropology and History says the vessels appear to date back to around 1,000 A.D.