MEXICAN PYRAMIDS TEOTIHUACAN: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW!

What are the pyramids of the Teotihuacan?

The ancient city of the gods, as it is known in Nahuatl, is one of the most important pre-Columbian archaeological areas in Mexico, and we highly recommend you visit it.

Teotihuacan is one of the most important “cities” of the time because it connected the coast of Veracruz with the Valley of Mexico, this enormous urban esplanade was one of the most important in Mesoamerica. The Aztecs called it the “City of the Gods or the place where the gods were created”.

History of the pyramids of Teotihuacan

The archaeological site of Teotihuacan belongs to a culture about which little is known, and which was already an abandoned city in pre-Hispanic times. The city was founded by the Nahua people.

It became a World Heritage Site in 1987 and some researchers assume that the peak of its development was between 250 and 500 A.D. They also estimate that at least 150,000 people lived there on a site of about 20 square kilometers.

It’s estimated that the city of Teotihuacan was abandoned in the 7th century (approximately in the year 650), several scholars of the subject consider that it was abandoned due to climatic situations or even due to economic issues.

Curiosities of the pyramids of Teotihuacan

Here are some curious facts you may not have known about Teotihuacan:

• The pyramid of the moon and Cerro Gordo: The pyramid of the moon is built symmetrically with two perfectly defined axes and the rest of the buildings respect this orientation.
• The inhabitants of Teotihuacan had their unit of measurement: although we have the feet, for these people the measurement was similar to almost 2.72 feet and in almost any structure in the city you can find it.
• The key point is the causeway of the dead: the name of this causeway comes from the fact that the Aztecs thought that the buildings were funerary structures or temples.
• The ball game is a classic: Some time ago the remains of the first ball court were discovered near the pyramid of the sun, this refers to the fact that they were built in the early stage of the city.

What were the pyramids of Teotihuacan used for?

The pyramid of the sun was used as a cardinal axis and also as a tribute to male virility and male gods (Tlaloc), in the same way, the interior chambers could have been used as living quarters for elite characters of the time.

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On the other hand, the pyramid of the moon was an ode to female deities and so the upper platform of the pyramid of the moon was used to perform rituals to honor the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue or the goddess of water, with offerings being placed at the base of the pyramid itself.

What are the pyramids of Teotihuacan called?

The enormous masses weighing almost two million tons are known as the pyramid of the sun and the pyramid of the moon.

Some experts consider it was called the Pyramid of the Sun because they suppose it was a temple of “enclosure of the sun” to the god Tlaloc, in the same way, the Pyramid of the Moon is a temple that some experts suppose to be the “enclosure of the moon”.

How was the pyramid of the sun built-in Teotihuacan?

The body of the pyramid of the sun is mostly made of blocks joined by mud or mud that was covered by stucco and then decorated to be placed on top of the pyramid.
The technique was called talud (slope) and the board sought to form or position 5 superimposed bodies until it reached an area of 656.17 by 738.19 feet.