Teotihuacan can be called one of the most ancient cities in the Western Hemisphere, the remains of which have been preserved to this day. Today it is only a tourist attraction, on the territory of which no one lives, but earlier it was a large center with a developed culture and trade. The ancient city is located 50 kilometers from Mexico City, but household items created in it many centuries ago are found throughout the continent.
The history of the city of Teotihuacan
The city emerged on the territory of modern Mexico in the 2nd century BC. Surprisingly, his plan does not seem antediluvian, on the contrary, it is so well thought out that scientists agree: they approached the construction with special care. The inhabitants of the other two ancient cities left their homes after the volcanic eruption and united to create a settlement. It was then that a new regional center was built with a total population of about two hundred thousand people.
The current name comes from the civilization of the Aztecs, who later lived in this area. From their language, Teotihuacan means a city in which every person becomes a god. Perhaps this is due to the harmony in all buildings and the scale of the pyramids or the mystery of the death of a prosperous center. Nothing is known about the original name.
The heyday of the regional center is considered to be the period from 250 to 600 AD. Then the inhabitants had the opportunity to contact with other civilizations: trade, exchange knowledge. In addition to the highly developed Teotihuacan, the city was famous for its strong religiosity. This is proved by the fact that in every home, even in the poorest areas, there are symbols of worship. Chief among them was the Feathered Serpent.
Shelter of huge pyramids
A bird's-eye view of the abandoned city reflects its peculiarity: it has several large pyramids, which stand out strongly against the background of one-story buildings. The largest is the Pyramid of the Sun. It is the third largest in the world. Scientists believe that it was built around 150 BC.
In the north of the Road of the Dead is the Pyramid of the Moon. It is not known exactly for what purpose it was used, since the remains of several human bodies were found inside. Some of them were beheaded and thrown in a disorderly manner, others were buried with honors. In addition to human skeletons, the structure also contains skeletons of animals and birds.
One of the most significant buildings in Teotihuacan is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. It is adjoined by the South and North palaces. Quetzalcoatl was the center of a religious cult in which the gods were depicted as snake-like creatures. Despite the fact that worship required sacrifice, people were not used for these purposes. Later, the Feathered Serpent became a symbol for the Aztecs.
The mystery of the disappearance of the city of Teotihuacan
There are two hypotheses about where the inhabitants of the city disappeared and why the prosperous place was empty in an instant. According to the first, the reason lies in the intervention of an extraterrestrial civilization. This idea is justified by the fact that only a more developed nation could significantly influence one of the largest cities. In addition, the history does not mention information about the feuds between «headquarters» that period.
The second hypothesis is that Teotihuacan was the victim of a major uprising, during which the lower classes decided to overthrow the ruling circles and seize power.
We advise you to look at the city of Chichen Itza.
The city clearly traced a religious cult and a clear distinction by status, but during this period it was at the peak of its prosperity, therefore, whatever the outcome, it could not at one moment turn into an abandoned settlement.
In both cases, one thing remains unclear: throughout the city, religious symbols were severely damaged, but not a single evidence of violence, resistance, uprising. Until now, it is not known why Teotihuacan, at the peak of its power, turned into a cluster of abandoned ruins, therefore it is considered one of the most mysterious places in human history.
