The Ancient City of Teotihuacan

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Introduction
Teotihuacan is one of the most famous ancient cities of Mesoamerica. It was probably the first truly urban centre in the Americas, flourishing between approximately 100 BC and 600 AD. At its zenith it covered an area of 20 square kilometres and was home to an estimated 100,000 people (some estimates suggest that the number of inhabitants may have been as high as 200,000). Although theories abound, no one really knows why this huge city, located in the dry uplands of Central Mexico, declined. This ancient city is now the topic of debate, mystery and legend.

Origins
The earliest evidence of occupation in the Teotihuacan valley, c. 45 km northeast of Mexico city, dates to approximately 400 BC. Archaeological evidence shows that the area around the south of Mexico Lake was populated, with people settling in small villages. There is evidence for volcanic activity in the area between  100 BC and 1 AD (in particular the volcano of Popocatepetl). It is speculated that this is what forced the abandonment of the cities to the south of the lake. As people began to move northwards, the great city of Teotihuacan began to form. Some of the early settlement of the city may date as far back as 100 BC.

There is some debate amongst archaeologists as to the ethnic origins of the people who originally settled in the city. Candidates include ethnic groups such as the Nahua, Otomi or Totonac. Colonial period texts suggest that the city was founded by the Toltecs, but this may have been a misunderstanding; it is possible that the word ‘Toltec’ simply means highly skilled craftspeople, and therefore has nothing to do with the ethnic origins of the people in the city. In fact, many experts now suggest that Teotihuacan was a multiethnic state.

Layout of the city
Teotihuacan is characterised by a broad central avenue, called “Avenue of the Dead”. The ominous name comes from the later Aztec belief that the many small platforms that were found along the route of this avenue were tombs. In fact it appears now that they were ceremonial platforms that were associated with temples. The purpose of the Avenue of the Dead seems to be largely ceremonial, as huge ceremonial buildings flank it on each side. These include the immense Pyramid of the Sun (second largest pyramid in the New World) and the Pyramid of the Moon. Further down the Avenue of the Dead is the area known as the Citadel. This area was a large plaza surrounded by temples that formed the religious and political centre of the city. The name “Citadel” was given to it by the Spanish, who believed it was a fort. In fact, even more ceremonial buildings are found within the Citadel, including the ruin of the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.

Despite the prominent ceremonial architecture, there is widespread evidence for domestic settlement in Teotihuacan. It appears that most of the common people lived in large apartment buildings spread across the city. Many of the buildings contained workshops that produced pottery, jewellery and other goods. Teotihuacan is known in particular for producing a great number of obsidian (a glass-like substance of volcanic origin) artifacts.

The city is designed on an urban grid, aligned at 15.5º east of North. There are numerous theories as to why this particular alignment was chosen, one of the current ideas suggests that it was aligned with the peak of the tallest mountain in the region. Although this mountain peak is not visible from the city, archaeologists suggest that some of the monuments in the city and the surrounding areas may have been used to establish the alignment over a long distance.

A city of influence
At the height of its influence (between 150 and 450), the city of Teotihuacan appears to have been the centre of a powerful culture. There is evidence that the influence of the city extended through much of the Mesoamerican region, and probably extended as far away as Guatemala. However, there is debate as to whether Teotihuacan was the centre of an empire. However, it was probably not a military empire as fortifications and military structures have not been found in the city.

Decline
Sometime during the 7th or 8th centuries the city of Teotihuacan went into decline. There is archaeological evidence for burning and destruction dating to this period, and evidence now suggests that much of this destruction was limited to civic and ceremonial structures (rather than to domestic). While it was once believed that the city was sacked and ruined by invaders, it is now thought possible that the destruction may have been down to an internal, popular uprising.

Current status
Despite the decline of Teotihuacan, various people continued to live on at the city after its fall and knowledge of the huge ruins was never lost. It became a place of pilgrimage during the Aztec era, when it was identified by popular myth with the place where the sun was created. It was also a place that left the Spanish conquistadors awestruck. Today, although much of the city is buried under modern settlement, it is protected by law. In 1987 the city was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it is one of the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico.