Teotihuacan: Vestiges of an Ancient Metropolis

The massive Pyramid of the Sun

In the second century CE, the Roman Empire was at its height, and so too was the Parthian Empire directly to its east. In East Asia, the Han dynasty reigned over ancient China, a period marked by advances in science and technology, among other things. However, despite their differences, the rulers of these great powers shared the same ambition: expanding their territory as far away from their respective centers of power as possible to control more subjects. This was not the only thing they shared in common though. All of them were oblivious to the existence of a vast landmass across the oceans, a part of the world we now know as the Americas.

In antiquity, ancient civilizations flourished in the regions that are now parts of Mexico. They were similarly unaware of the kingdoms and empires of the Old World, let alone the presence of impressive monuments like the Egyptian pyramids, the Colosseum in Rome, the early iterations of what would be the Great Wall of China, and the highly-intricate Buddhist temples commissioned by the Satavahanas in India, among many other great structures elsewhere across Asia, Europe, and Africa. Independently, the ancient peoples of Mesoamerica developed their own architectural styles, shaped by their indigenous religions and the cultural exchanges among themselves. And among the most consequential civilizations in the New World was arguably what is known today as Teotihuacan.

In the second century CE, Teotihuacan experienced rapid growth fueled by the dramatic increase of its population. At one point in its history, the city of Teotihuacan was home to at least 25,000 people, making it the largest urban center in the Americas. (Around the same time, New York City was still marshland.) This phenomenon was partially caused by volcanic eruptions that decimated many settlements in the region, pushing their residents to move elsewhere, especially to Teotihuacan. As the city grew, so did its wealth. Consequently, it witnessed a construction boom when gigantic monuments as well as beautifully-decorated residential buildings were added to the skyline. It was during this period that Teotihuacan saw the completion of three of its largest structures: the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon, and the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent.

On our visit to the Museo Nacional de Antropología earlier on this trip, I was pleasantly surprised by a section of the museum filled with replicas of parts of some buildings in Teotihuacan. Vivid colors adorned the walls, each painted with intricate images of deities as well as imaginative illustrations that wouldn’t be out of place in the world’s modern art museums today. Such rich artistic expressions are an indication of the affluence of the city’s residents during the apogee of this civilization. This can be attributed to Teotihuacan’s position as an important economic power in Mesoamerica, especially in the trade of obsidian where the city held a monopoly. Other than that, textiles were also an important commodity its residents traded across the region. This economic prowess, supported by a formidable military, further cemented Teotihuacan’s prominence and influence all over Mesoamerica.

The god of fire Huehueteotl on display at the Museum of Teotihuacan Culture near the Pyramid of the Sun (a similar statue can be viewed at the Museo Nacional de Antropología in Mexico City)

The planet Venus depicted with attributes of Tlaloc, the god of rain worshipped by the ancient residents of Teotihuacan as well as the Aztecs centuries later

An artistic expression of the ancient people of Teotihuacan

More artifacts discovered at Teotihuacan

Fragments of a mural depicting two felines with feather headdresses

Another portrayal of Tlaloc

A fragment of an architectural crest

The Pyramid of the Sun viewed from inside the museum

The biggest succulent plant I have ever seen

Despite these achievements, there was one big problem: no written records in the native language of Teotihuacan have ever been found. Instead, a lot of information about this magnificent city was derived from manuscripts and inscriptions recorded by the Maya peoples (Teotihuacan’s contemporary) as well as the Aztecs who lived centuries after the fall of Teotihuacan. Even the name of the city itself, which means “place where gods were born” or “place of those who have the road of the gods”, was given by the Nahuatl-speaking Aztecs who were probably humbled by what they saw when they entered the ruins of the once powerful state. Meanwhile, in Maya texts Teotihuacan was referred to as puh, or “place of reeds”.

Right after lunch, James and I began our exploration of Teotihuacan at the site’s museum. Situated in the vicinity of the Pyramid the Sun, it provides a great introduction to the ancient ruins which were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1987. Fragments of murals that once adorned the structures in the city and richly-embellished smaller objects – items like braziers, vessels, and effigies – were among the highlights for me as they gave an idea of the opulence enjoyed by the city’s residents during its heyday. Images of the rain god Tlaloc are a reminder of the similarities and exchange of ideas among different Mesoamerican civilizations as each of them has their own version of the deity: Chaac for the Maya and Cocijo for the Zapotecs, for example.

As the museum was relatively compact, it only took us around half an hour to see its collections before setting foot on the Avenue of the Dead, the main thoroughfare that runs through the middle of Teotihuacan. Most visitors seemed to go straight toward the Pyramid of the Moon at the northern end of the central axis, but we opted to head south first to visit the most ornate structure in all of Teotihuacan: the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent.

Miccaotli, which means the “Avenue of the Dead”, was the name given by 16th-century Nahuatl-speaking people when they walked along this wide avenue. They believed the empty talud-tablero platforms on both sides of the passage were tombs, hence the epithet. Now we know that it is not the case, but the nickname endures to this day. What I loved about walking down this section of the ancient avenue was the fact that it was very quiet, which helped me appreciate the scale of Teotihuacan even more. It’s mind-boggling to think that this place is almost 2,000 years old.

Platforms along the Avenue of the Dead, built in the talud-tablero architectural style

Arriving at the Ciudadela (Citadel), the former center of power of Teotihuacan

Behind the so-called “attached pyramid” is the true gem of Teotihuacan: the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent

Depictions of Tlaloc (left) and Quetzalcoatl (Feathered Serpent), among the most important gods for the ancient people of Teotihuacan

Did you notice the ears of corn?

Some of the structures within the Ciudadela

The Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon as viewed from the Ciudadela

We kept walking south, went up and down some steps, before finally arriving at what is called the Ciudadela (or the “Citadel”), a name given by the Spanish colonizers as they thought this compound was a fort. If we didn’t know, we would’ve probably assumed that the central structures of the Ciudadela were just another example of the talud-tablero buildings that are emblematic of Teotihuacan. But we knew something special was hidden from plain sight. The view of the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent is curiously blocked by an “attached pyramid”. Just like everyone else, we climbed the latter, and when we reached the top, there it was. In front of us was the ornately decorated Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent with its iconic sculptures of Tlaloc and Quetzalcoatl (the Feathered Serpent himself). It was just as magnificent as how I pictured it would be, although I couldn’t help but be inquisitive about the attached pyramid. Why was it built right there to obscure this richly carved ancient wonder? No one knows for sure, although some speculate that the addition of this later structure was probably due to a change in the city’s politics or religion.

From the Ciudadela, we gazed upon the northern section of the Avenue of the Dead with the two largest pyramids of Teotihuacan looming in the background. That was where we headed next.

In the past, visitors could climb both the Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon. However, that’s not the case anymore as the authorities want to preserve the ancient monuments from further erosion caused by tourists. I know this is best for the structures, but I won’t lie that I like the idea of viewing the entire ancient city from those high vantage points. We kept walking north and as we got closer to the end of the avenue, the more people there were. After checking out the famous puma mural (the feline is often incorrectly referred to as a jaguar), we headed to the Palace of Quetzalpapalotl. Created in the 5th century CE, the reliefs on the pillars of its courtyard depict a hybrid animal with the head of a mythological bird (quetzalli, or “precious feather”) and the body of a butterfly (papalotl), hence the portmanteau. In addition to that, a few sections of the structure still bear some original murals, making this compound as intriguing as the pyramids themselves.

A lot of information about Teotihuacan might have been lost forever. But visiting this ancient city really gave me an idea of the great power and influence it had over Mesoamerica. Unsurprisingly, its demise opened a new chapter in the history of this region, one that saw the rise of the civilizations that for a long time dominated their core realm in the Yucatán peninsula: the Maya. Subsequently, over the centuries, different political entities of the Maya peoples rose to prominence. And alongside their resurgence, splendid cities were built, filled with a plethora of magnificent monuments. One of the most impressive of all is situated in the middle of a lush jungle in what is now the state of Chiapas, and that is where I will take you next on this journey across Mexico.