Teotihuacan

About 30 miles from Mexico City sits the active archaeological site and former ancient mega-city, Teotihuacan. Development began in the area around 250 B.C., and the city remained populated until about 800 A.D., reaching a high water mark of around 125,000 residents at its peak. Scholars aren't certain who exactly built the city- it was likely a mixture of different cultures, including Mayan, Zapotec and Toltec.



The Aztecs later made pilgrimages to the city after its collapse, believing that the massive site was the birthplace of the Universe.

The main temples are the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon, which is flanked by several satellite temples. Both temples are found along the ominously named "Avenue of the Dead", a wide street once lined with the multi-leveled homes of nobles.


Above; Young conquers the Temple of the Sun.


Liz poses on 2/3 of the way up the Temple of the Sun, and is photobombed by the Temple of the Moon.

Below:
The view from a noble person's home. Human and animal sacrifices were common in Teotihuacan,so the closer you live to the Temple, the more screaming you'd hear #LatePreclassicProblems



The residents of Teotihuacan made their fortunes by trading a special thin orange pottery that the rest of Meso-america just had to have. The homes of nobles were painted with elaborate murals, some of which have been miraculously restored.

Ancient wall art.


Below, a fine looking bird.


Visiting the site is not for the faint-hearted or easily sun-burnt. You can climb the Temple of the Sun, and the even steeper Temple of the Moon. Vendors sell possibly the world's most obnoxious whistles to the visiting student hordes which, when blown, re-create with hair-raising verisimilitude the grating roar of the JAGUAR. These roars echo off the Temples, lending an otherwise bright and sunny day a twinge of mortal dread.

Below, a view of the Avenue of the Dead from atop the Temple of the Moon.