Teotihuacan is especially famous for its large pyramids dedicated to the Sun and the Moon. The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacan and one of the largest in Mesoamerica. The name comes from the Aztecs, who visited Teotihuacan centuries after it was abandoned. Found along the Avenue of the Dead, in between the Pyramid of the Moon and the Ciudadela, the pyramid is part of a large complex in the heart of the city. As the focal point for Teotihuacan’s urban layout, it is built over earlier structures, perhaps even tombs of rulers. Its slight northwest orientation from the horizon allows the view of many important astrological events that were believed to affect agriculture and belief systems of the ancient society.
The Pyramid of the Sun was constructed in two stages: the first construction stage, around 100 C.E, brought the pyramid to nearly the size it remains today. The second stage resulted in its completed size of 738 feet across and 246 feet high, making it the third largest pyramid in the area. It also consisted of the construction of an altar on top of the pyramid, which has not survived to present day. Only a few surviving artifacts have been found in and around the pyramid. Obsidian arrowheads and human figurines have been discovered inside the pyramid. These objects may have represented sacrificial victims. In addition, burial sites of children have been found at the corners of the pyramid. It is believed that these burials were part of a sacrificial ritual dedicating the building of the pyramid.
The Pyramid of the Moon is the second largest building in Teotihuacan after the Pyramid of the Sun. Located in the northern part of Teotihuacan; it covers a structure older than the Pyramid of the Sun, which existed before 200 A.D. The Pyramid's construction took place between 200 and 450 A.D. Over the next several hundred years, the pyramid was renovated at least six times, with each new addition larger than the last. Today, as archeologists dig through the layers, they discover artifacts that provide a timeline of the history of Teotihuacan. The most recent discovery is a tomb made to dedicate the fifth phase of construction. Containing four human skeletons, animal bones, jewelry, obsidian blades, and a wide variety of other offerings, archeologists estimate that the burial occurred sometime between 100 and 200 A.D.
As archaeologists dig beneath the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, they find various clues to the history of this mysterious culture. Since so little is known about the Teotihuacan civilization, the artifacts left behind provide archaeologists with links to their origins and way of life. In addition, the pyramids are tremendous feats of architecture for their time. One of the largest structures ever built in the ancient Americas, its aspect today is the result of reconstruction and consolidation carried out in the early part of the twentieth century.
Works Cited
-
Barbezat, Suzanne. "The Pyramid of the Sun - Teotihuacan." About.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2010. <http://gomexico.about.com/od/ancientsites/ss/teotihuacan_4.htm>.
-
Department of Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas. "Teotihuacan: Pyramids of the Sun and Moon." The Metropolitan Museum of Art. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2010. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/teot2/hd_teot2.htm>.
-
"Pyramids of Mesoamerica ." Crystalinks. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Jan. 2010. <http://www.crystalinks.com/pyramidmesoamerica.html>.