The Ancient Ruins of Teotihuacan

A trip to Mexico is considered a pilgrimage into one of the most diverse areas in the world with beautiful coasts, great dancing, and ancient buried cities. One of these cities is Teotihuacan, meaning “City of the Gods.” So, book a flight, get some travel insurance, and visit one of the largest ancient cities of the early first century.

The City of Teotihuacan

The archaeological site of Teotihuacan is located 30 miles northeast of Mexico City. The city reached its zenith and was the sixth largest city in the world between the fifth and sixth centuries AD. The city was about 30 square kilometers with a population of 125,000 to as many as 250,000 people. The city started to decline in the seventh and eighth centuries AD, and was abandoned completely by the tenth century AD. The reason for the abandonment is unknown, as the inhabitants disappeared before the Spanish invaded Mexico. Knowledge of the city was never forgotten throughout history. The Aztecs used it as a pilgrimage for the God associated with the creation of the sun, and it is now one of the major tourist attractions of Mexico. Teotihuacan was named several centuries after the fall of the city. There is no record of the cities original name, language, or who built it.

City of the Gods - a brief description, map, and images of the city.

Culture of Teotihuacan

There is evidence that the city was multi-ethnic. Linguistics shows a Totonacan and Mixe-Zoquean leaning. The Totonacans claim to be the original founders of the city and historical evidence indicates that the Aztecs believed this as well. However, there is no evidence of such in the city itself. Artifacts found during excavation show Teotihuacan inhabitants worshiped the same religion as many Mesoamerican cultures, and was one of the major religious center of its time. Remains of sacrificed humans and animals have been found. Evidence further shows that the city was immersed heavily in trade as far as the Mayan lowlands, even to the Gulf of Mexico. Study of the site shows precisely drawn complexes arranged by social class. Tests run on the ancient skeletons found in one complex show all the males were closely related and married outside the family, bringing their wives into their complex.

Artifacts and Art- shows pictures of artifacts and beautiful frescoes found in the city.

Visiting the City Today

When visiting the city today, one will find the entrance at the Avenue of the Dead. On either side is the Pyramid of the Moon and Sun. In between are platforms that were foundations of temples. Further down is the Citadel, or main gathering area, and at the end is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. Visitors are allowed to touch and climb the pyramids and to explore the ruins. The layout is traditional Mesoamerican.

Reconfiguring the Archaeological Sensibility: Mediating Heritage at Teotihuacan, Mexico: a Stanford Universoty dissertation on the archaeological findings at Teotihuacan.

Avenue of the Dead

The Avenue of the Dead is the central avenue into the city of Teotihuacan. The city got its name from the Aztecs who saw the small platforms in between the major pyramids and thought they were burial sites. The street is about 2.5 kilometers long and begins at the Pyramid of the Moon dividing the city into two sections. Pyramids, the main religious compounds, and apartment complexes were arranged on either side of the avenue. Evidence shows it may have been planned that way during construction of the city. Large channels run underneath the avenue catching rainwater, running to the Rio San Juan.

View of the Avenue of the Dead- Different views from the pyramids of the Avenue of the Dead.

Pyramid of the Sun

The Pyramid of the Sun is the third largest pyramid in the world. It was constructed in two phases with the end building being about 250 feet in height and 740 feet across. It derived its name from the Aztecs, and the original name is not known. There has been no evidence found to associate the pyramids with a deity. The first excavations of the site were done in 1906. In 1925, four skeletons were discovered at its four corners and some speculate that this was a sacrificial religious center. There is a man made tunnel underneath the pyramid leading to a man made cave that could be a royal tomb, although there is no evidence supporting this.

Where Men Became Gods- Map with the location of the Pyramid of the Sun

Pyramid of the Moon

The Pyramid of the Moon is located in the northern part of the city and is the second largest pyramid in Teotihuacan . It is built over a site that is older than the Pyramid of the Sun. It was used for ceremonies worshiping the Goddess of the Moon and Water, determined by the sculpture found at the bottom of the platform stairs that lead out onto the Avenue of the Dead. This pyramid had been restructured six times during the cities habitation. Graves have been found with sacrificed human remains along with jewelry, animal remains, and obsidian, a sharp black rock formed into knives for everyday use and ceremonial sacrifices.

New Tomb at Teotihuacan - New site uncovered that might be a royal tomb.

The Citadel and Temple of the Feathered Serpent

The Citadel was named by the Spanish when they came into the abandoned city believing it to be a fort. It was the center of the city and is a large open space with surrounding temples used to hold crowds during religious ceremonies. There are many sculptures around the Citadel with symbols of the rain god, Tlaloc. The Temple of Quetzalcoatl or the Feathered Serpent is a pyramid across from the Citadel. The Feathered Serpent was a god of creation and the founder of the calendar. Art in the temple show him trying to enter the world in chrysalis, to emerge into the world as a butterfly, a symbol of perfection.

Temple of the Feathered Serpent: A collection of information on the several facets of the history and architecture of the temple.