Teylor Burr
Pyramid of the Sun and Moon
April 4, 2011
Prepared by: Teylor Burr- CIS 1020
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Teylor Burr
Teotihuacan
Pyramid of the Sun and Moon
Teotihuacan is an enormous archaeological site in the basin of Mexico,
containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian
Americas. Teotihuacan is also known for its large residential complexes, the Avenue of
the Dead, and well-preserved colorful murals. The city was built around 100 BCE and
continued to be built until 250 CE. The city lasted until sometime between the 7 th and
8th centuries. Teotihuacan was the largest city in the pre-Columbian Americas, with
more than 200,000 inhabitants it was the largest city in the world in this time period.
Teotihuacan was home to the multi-floored apartment compounds built to
accommodate this large population. It is also referred to as Teotihuacano. Teotihuacano
had a large impact on Mesoamerica. Both economic and political influence can be seen
in Veracruz and the Maya region. Among the groups influenced by the teotihuacano
were the Aztecs. Scholars have suggested that Teotihuacan was a multi-ethnic state.
Possible candidates for the inhabitants are:
I.
The Nahua
II.
The Otomi
III.
The Totanac
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Name
The
name
Teotihuacan
was given by the Nahuati speaking
Aztecs centuries after the fall of the city. Teotihuacan means “birthplace of the gods” reflecting
Nahua creation myths that were said to occur in Teotihuacan.
Origins and Foundation
The early history of Teotihuacan is quite mysterious, and the origins of
its founders debated. Many archaeologists believe it was built by the Toltec.
This was due to the texts of the “Florentine Codex,” which attributed the site of
the Toltec’s. However the term “Toltec,” in the Nahuti language means
“craftsman of the highest level,” and does not always refer to the Toltec
civilization centered at Tula, Hidalgo. Since Toltec civilization flourished
centuries after the Teotihuacan, the people could not have been the city’s
founders. (Malstrom, 1978)
Name
Completion
Size
Pyramid of the Sun
100 AD
233.5 Feet
Pyramid of the Moon
150 AD
210 Feet
Feathered Serpent Pyramid
200 AD
190 Feet
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Zenith
At its peak in 450 CE it was the center of a powerful culture whose influence extended
through much of the Mesoamerican region. At its peak the city covered 11 ½ square miles and
housed 150,000 to 250,000 people. Notably absent from the city are fortifications and military
structures. The city was a center of industry, home to many potters, jewelers, and craftsmen.
Teotihuacan nobility traveled to and perhaps conquered, local rulers as far away as Honduras.
Maya
inscriptions
note
an
individual named “Spear thrower
Owl,” a ruler of the Teotihuacan
of 60 years, who installed his
relatives as rulers of Tikal and
Uxactum
in
Guatemala.
The
painters in Teotihuacan have
been compared to those in the Renaissance Florence, Italy. (Daries, 1982)
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Collapse
The most recent evidence seems to indicate that there was an uprising in Teotihuacan
culture that led to its collapse. Only palaces and temples were burned, and statues were
methodically
destroyed,
with
fragments dispersed. A
population
decline
during the 6th century
also supports the civic
unrest hypothesis. The
decline of Teotihuacan
has been correlated to
Figure 1 Pyramid of the Sun
lengthy droughts related to climate changes during the 533-536 CE. (Berrin, 1993)
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Religion
The people of Teotihuacan worshipped
“Quetzcoatl,” the feathered serpent, and Tlaloc
“the Rain God.” Politics were based on religion;
religious leaders were the political leaders.
Teotihuacanos practiced human sacrifice. Animals that were considered sacred and had
mythical powers were also sacrificed:
Cougars
A Wolf
Eagles
A Falcon
An Owl
Venomous Snakes
Archaeological Site
Knowledge of the ruins was never completely lost. After the fall of the city, various
squatters lived on the site. During Aztec times, the city was a place of pilgrimage and identified
with the myth of the Tollan, the place where the sun was created. Teotihuacan astonished the
Spanish conquistadors during the post-conquest era. Today Teotihuacan is one of the most
noted archaeological attractions in Mexico.
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Bibliography
Berrin, Kathleen; and Esther Pasztory (1993). Teotihuacan: Art from the city of the Gods. New
York: Thames and Hudson.
Coe, Michael D.; and Rex Koontz (1994). Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. New York;
Thames and Hudson.
Davies Nigel (1982). The Ancient Kingdoms of Mexico. England: Penguin Books.
Kaufman, Terrence (2001). Nawa linguistic Prehistory.
Malmstrom, Vincent H. (1978). Architecture, Astronomy, and Calendrics in Pre-Columbian
Mesoamerica.
Sugiyama, Saburo (2003). Governance and Polity at Classic Teotihuacan.
Taube, Karl(2000). The writing system of Ancient Teotihuacan.
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