A sacrificial wolf elaborately adorned with some of the finest Aztec gold ever found and buried more than five centuries ago has come to light in the heart of downtown Mexico City, once home to the Aztec empire's holiest shrines.

The quality and number of golden ornaments is highly unusual and includes 22 complete pieces — such as symbol-laden pendants, a nose ring and a chest plate — all made from thin sheets of the precious metal, lead archaeologist Leonardo Lopez said.

Held in a stone box, the cache was discovered in April near the capital city's bustling main square, the Zocalo, behind the colonial-era Roman Catholic cathedral and off the steps of what was once the most important Aztec ceremonial temple, now known as the Templo Mayor.