A really majestic and mysterious Mesoamerican city of the pre-Hispanic era, due to the fact that events happened in it that still to this day no clue of them or how they happened has been known.
Although its origin is unknown and the reasons for its abandonment, there are some data and characteristics of the Teotihuacán culture such as its population, the trade that was practiced in it, which was the most important of the time, since it is estimated that the moments The heyday of the city and its culture were between the XNUMXnd and XNUMXth century AD
Discover about the Teotihuacán culture
Which in Spanish means the place where the gods came or come from or the home of the gods city found by the Mexica society, which was already in ruins at that time, because of this the original name of the city is not known. The inhabitants had been granted, and their ethnicity has not been identified either.
Although it is a mysterious culture because not much is known about it, some data have been collected that turn out to be very shocking and interesting, such as the constructions that exist in the ruins of the city for example, information will be revealed below with respect to characteristics of the most impressive Teotihuacán culture.
Data and characteristics of the Teotihuacán culture
Beginnings of the city
It is estimated that the city had its beginnings in the time before Christ, To be precise 100 years before, at that time the city of Cuicuilco suffered from an exodus in which the inhabitants had to emigrate, reaching the city of Teotihuacán, so it is known that most of the inhabitants were emigrants with different ethnicities. .
From that moment on, the city's establishments began to be planned, such as its culture and its constructions such as the pyramids and its limits.
As the city progressed in stages, the population and the city limits grew, reaching around 45.000 inhabitants and 22 square kilometers in diameter.
Origin of the name "Teotihuacán Culture"
Name given by the Nahuatlacas for this reason is in the Nahuatl language, because the original civilization of the city did not exist at that time, they baptized it as "the home of the gods" which the Mexicas continued to use, and that in turn it was integrated into the history of social development. The Mexicas believed that Tula came from this, so possibly the society was Toltec.
First steps of the Teotihuacán culture
Despite having little information about the beginnings of this civilization, it is known that they took advantage of the Cuanalán phase in which several agricultural villages emigrated to the city approximately between 500 and 100 BC These new members of the culture, were sheltering in the rivers and valleys of the city limits.
A century later the construction of the metropolis would begin, or great ceremonial city in which it was estimated that the population had around 5.000 people at that time.
Geography of the city
Having an unusual position for the time in which it was developed, this city was located in a valley whose name was modified to the same as the city, on the San Juan River, fifteen kilometers from Lake Texcoco.
Currently known as the state of Mexico, the Teotihuacán valley is located, which has a maximum altitude of 3200 meters above sea level, and its plains reach about 2240.
Teotihuacan language and ethnic group
The little information we have about these comes from the Anahuac, who were the ones who left a track of this civilization, however in the collection of historical data made after the conquest of Mexico, he did not mention this civilization in detail. rather, I only speak about the characteristics mentioned by the Anahuac.
The Nahua culture thought that the creators of the city was built by giants who lived in a time before them, and that the pyramids built were intended to serve as tombs for them. This race was called the Quinametzim.
Teotihuacan architecture
Buildings such as palaces, temples and pyramids are the ones that stand out the most among the architectural structures that characterize the Teotihuacán culture, which can currently be visited without any problem, to know the majesty of this place.
- Pyramid of the Moon: a structure 45 meters high, modified at least seven times between the stages of evolution of the city, being smaller than the pyramid of the sun, but managing to establish the same height in sight, since it is built in a place higher.
- Pyramid of the Sun: having a height of 63 meters with a base of approximately 225 square meters, it is considered the second largest pyramid of the Mesoamerican period, and the largest of this culture, which can be seen from several kilometers away.
- Quetzalpapálotl Palace: being very characteristic of this culture, with a structure perfectly designed with the best materials, which had butterflies carved around its entire structure, it was the palace of the priests of the culture, and it was also believed that only the elite lived in it teotihuacana.
Flourishing of the Teotihuacan culture
The city managed to consolidate its regional power in the Tlamimilolpa phase, which took place around 250 BC, which spread throughout the Mesoamerican area. During this time the architectural development gave rise to two extensions of the Pyramid of the Moon which was associated with human burials.
It managed to have 20 square kilometers in diameter, housing structures for public activities of all kinds, and also housing complexes for its population that continued to grow.
The commercial relationships of the Teotihuacan culture were known throughout Mesoamerica, which gave it great recognition in the economic and social sense, which were developed around the Tlamimilolpa era, in which unique types of ceramics were produced and manufactured in those times. earths, such as thin orange pottery.
Urbanism
This is based on the construction of perpendicular axes of which the east was part of the San Juan river and the south was part of the Calzada de los Muertos. Between them a grid was placed that was destined to the creation of architectural structures.
The bases of the architecture of the city are related to the cosmic vision that civilization had, which was one of the main characteristics of the Teotihuacán culture, this can be observed in the exact order that the structures had, which in turn provided a essential sight to the stars.
Decline of the Teotihuacán culture
Despite having more than 75.000 inhabitants, and being one of the largest and most important cities in the Mesoamerican period, in the Metepec phase, architectural activity was completely paralyzed, which was very important for this culture.
It is thought that the migration of the Coyotlatelco culture in the Oxtotipac period, which caused an exodus of inhabitants, which causes the Teotihuacan society to leave the city, leaving a number of 5000 people in the most populated area.
It is also believed that in these times a kind of drought occurred which generated bad agricultural activity, so the inhabitants decided to emigrate looking for a better place to live.
What happened after the collapse?
Probably the inhabitants of the city Teotihuacán decided to emigrate due to the political oppression that existed in the place, although it is not known exactly what the cause was, it is known that the population of this was dispersed among various local cultures, losing their ethnic identity.
History of Teotihuacán
The history of this, despite not being well detailed, some data such as that this culture was the main rival of the Cuicuilco, starting its time, as estimated in the first 1000 years before Christ.
Just as it is also known that the peak period was between the XNUMXnd to XNUMXth centuries, and its decline was from the XNUMXth century on, of which no details are yet known, other than the migration process of the Teotihuacans.
Archeology in the city Teotihuacán
This has been of great archaeological interest, being a target since the XNUMXth century due to the mysteries that it hides from the Mesoamerican history of those times.
It should be noted that the city can be visited by tourists due to the enrichment of its rooms, of course, always accompanied by a local guide, who knows the most prudent and safest route to achieve an excellent tour without missing any detail of all the characteristics of the Teotihuacán culture and its mysteries.
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