Historians and other experts believe the structure may have been built like a Russian Doll, with many different layers hidden within

A secret pyramid inside Mexico’s ancient Mayan temple of Kukulkan – also known as Chichen Itza – has been discovered by archaeologists .

The temple dates back to the 9th century but experts believe the other structure is likely to have been built at an earlier date as a tribute to the gods.

National Autonomous University of Mexico (NAUM) and the National Institute of Anthropology and History archaeologists used a tomographic X-ray technique to ‘see’ through layers of the temple’s stone.

The clever method meant they could see inside the structure without damaging it.

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A tomographic X-ray technique was used to ‘see’ through layers of the temple’s stone ( Image: dgcs.unam.mx)

In the mid-1930s another hidden section was found inside Chichen Itza when archaeologists found a 20-meter high pyramid .

Now historians and other experts believe the structure may have been built like a Russian Doll, with many different layers hidden within.

National University of Anthropology and History research professor Denisse Argote said the building could still be hiding more secrets after the ‘significant’ find.

A map of the region surrounding the temple ( Image: Museo Nacional de Antropologia and Denisse Argote / IKONOS satellite)

She told RT : “Following the chronology established for the city of Chichen Itza, this substructure could have been constructed between 600-800AD.

“This could tell us that the culture that built it knew about the existence of the cenote beneath it. This cavity was discovered by our team last year.

We believe that results obtained in this investigation possess important implications towards the knowledge historians have about the Maya civilisation.”

Research professor Denisse Argote said the building could still be hiding more secrets ( Image: @SalaPrensaUNAM)DON’T MISS

And in a statement, NAUM added that the smaller pyramid displayed evidence of a possible shrine and rampway.

It said: “The structure discovered last century would correspond to the transition period, and the one found now would be of the pure Mayan style.”

Last month, two secret chambers have been discovered in Egypt’s 4,500-year-old Great Pyramid of Giza .

Researchers confirmed they had found the mysterious cavities after scanning the centuries old tomb using revolutionary radiography equipment.