Relatively little is known about the culture that built Teotihucán. The city peaked around 450 A.D. and exerted cultural influence over a broad swathe of central Mexico, Guatemala and possibly even Honduras. In the 7th and/or 8th centuries, the city declined and collapsed, becoming a holy site for later cultures such as the Aztec (Teotihucán is Hahuatl for "Birthplace of the Gods"). Today it is a UNESCO world heritage site, home of the second largest pyramid in the New World and one of the most visited tourist attractions in Mexico.
The Avenue of the Dead (so-called by the Spanish, who mistook the temple platforms for tombs) stretches from the Citadel 3km to the Pyramid of the Moon. It is broad and imposing.
The Citadel (also so-called by the Spanish; they weren't very good at naming things) was actually the Royal Palace. Note the outlines of otherwise vanished buildings.
Temple enlargements were typically constructed right on top of previous iterations, nicely preserving the prior versions.
I'm not sure I should have been back here, but it was really cool being able to identify hallways and rooms and whatnot. As opposed to the pyramids, which are just huge (though admittedly impressive) piles of rock, this area felt like someplace people actually lived.
One of the (many) temple platforms flanking the Avenue of the Dead.
The main attraction: El Pirámide del Sol.
The Avenue of the Dead stretching back toward the Citadel.
My feet. Also, in the distance, the Citadel to the left of the Avenue of the Dead. But more importantly, my feet.
The Avenue of the Dead continuing on to El Pirámide de la Luna.
The climb up is exhausting. The climb down is unnerving, to say the least.
One pyramid down, one to go.
Getting close. Christ, this site is big.
They don't let you climb all the way to the top of the Pyramid of the Moon. That was fine with me.
Someone else's feet.
Dammit, I have to walk all the way back.
In all honesty, the artwork at Teotihuacán wasn't all that impressive. In part, this is because the colors were badly faded. But mostly it was because their artwork wasn't very well developed (in my humble opinion).
One of the only examples of vivid colors. Believe it or not, that's a parrot. A parrot vomiting a rainbow of speech glyphs. Makes sense to me.
I don't remember and I'm not gonna speculate.
A modern recreation of how the interiors were decorated.
It was late in the afternoon when I was returning from the site museum. It was nice to get a look at the site without the throngs.
The backside of the Pyramid of the Sun.
Amusing commentary and more great pictures. About the feet: Perhaps you can make a living as as fashion photographer of shoes? Yuck, yuck!
ReplyDeleteGrandma Dee says the "I don't remember" picture looks like a bunch of toilet seats -- so there your have it!
ReplyDelete