Mexican archeologists explore bowels of ancient pre-Aztec city to uncover mysteries

Record ID: 103661

  • Title: Mexican archeologists explore bowels of ancient pre-Aztec city to uncover mysteries
  • Date: 11th May 2016
  • Summary: TEOTIHUACAN, STATE OF MEXICO, MEXICO (MAY 11, 2016) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF TEOTIHUACAN RUINS SUN PYRAMID GENERAL VIEW OF AREA BEING EXCAVATED LADDER BEING LOWERED INTO EXCAVATED AREA ARCHAEOLOGISTS CLIMBING DOWN LADDER VARIOUS OF ROCK PIECES FOUND DURING EXCAVATIONS VARIOUS OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS BRUSHING ROCKS VERONICA ORTEGA CABRERA, ARCHAEOLOGIST AND DIRECTOR OF TEOTIHUACAN PROJECT, EXPLAINING FINDINGS AS SHE BRUSHES THE ROCKS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARCHAEOLOGIST AND DIRECTOR OF TEOTIHUACAN PROJECT, VERONICA ORTEGA CABRERA, SAYING: "The green rocks are linked to fertility and abundance and earthly waters, that's lagoons, rivers, lakes. Therefore, it is likely the Moon Square and the cult which was more important was linked to the god Chanchiuhtlicue, the god of earthly waters." SIGN AT RUINS WHICH READS "AREA UNDER INVESTIGATION. NO ACCESS" GENERAL VIEW OF AREA UNDER EXCAVATION TOP OF AREA BEING INVESTIGATED ROCK FOUND IN INVESTIGATION ORTEGA CABRERA TALKING ABOUT EXCAVATION AT SITE VARIOUS OF FINDINGS AT EXCAVATION SITE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARCHAEOLOGIST AND DIRECTOR OF TEOTIHUACAN PROJECT, VERONICA ORTEGA CABRERA, SAYING: "This gives a greater significance to Moon Square. We can see that the cult is linked to the gods in the temples above but also underground. Underground you have the forces, the energy which strengthens the gods of the cult." VARIOUS OF EXCAVATOR WORKING AT SITE VARIOUS OF ROCKS FOUND AT SITE ORTEGA CABRERA BRUSHING AT ROCKS FOUND (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARCHAEOLOGIST AND DIRECTOR OF TEOTIHUACAN PROJECT, VERONICA ORTEGA CABRERA, SAYING: "Now we know a little bit more about this culture. We're still missing a lot. We're just starting to strip away from the surface in Teotihuacan of which we know little about. But we're seeing that public spaces like the Moon Square, the citadel and the Square of the Sun Pyramid were used for social and religious unity and cohesion and then this allowed for this great city to be built." ROCK FOUND AT SITE MAN LOWERING LADDER AT SITE MORE OF EXTERIOR OF EXCAVATION AREA GENERAL VIEW OF TEOTIHUACAN RUINS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING AROUND RUINS PEOPLE WALKING UP STEPS OF TEMPLE PEOPLE ON STEPS OF SUN PYRAMID GENERAL VIEW OF SUN PYRAMID
  • Embargoed: 27th May 2016 00:48
  • Keywords: Mexico Teotihuacan Square of the Moon exploration bowels city INAH
  • Location: TEOTIHUACAN, STATE OF MEXICO, MEXICO
  • City: TEOTIHUACAN, STATE OF MEXICO, MEXICO
  • Country: Mexico
  • Topics: Arts/Culture/Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0014HD7IV7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Mexican archaeologists are exploring the bowels of the "Plaza de la Luna" (Moon Square) in Teotihuacan for clues into the mysterious ancient city that was once the largest in the Americas.
    Earlier this year, archaeologists from Mexico's Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) stepped up investigations at an ancient public square at the ruins after aerial investigations reportedly showed it to be full of craters and passages designed to simulate the universe.
    Initial excavations at the site have revealed plain stele green stones used by Teotihuacan's ancient inhabitants.
    "The green rocks are linked to fertility and abundance and earthly waters, that's lagoons, rivers, lakes. Therefore, it is likely the Moon Square and the cult which was more important was linked to the god Chanchiuhtlicue, the god of earthly waters," said Veronica Ortega Cabrera, archaeological and director of the Teotihuacan Project.
    Archaeologists wish to investigate what lies in the basement of this building, looking for the origins of the ritual space of Moon Square, which would have looked different than what tourists are greeted with today.
    Ortega Cabrera said the excavations have added to the importance of the square.
    "This gives a greater significance to Moon Square. We can see that the cult is linked to the gods in the temples above but also underground. Underground you have the forces, the energy which strengthens the gods of the cult," she added.
    Despite being one of Mexico's most-visited tourist destinations, Teotihuacan is so shrouded in mystery that its inhabitants still have no name.
    Earlier this year, explorations took place under the sites massive Sun Pyramid in the hope of finding the burial place of Teotihuacan's last king.
    Ortega Cabrera said that all this work is contributing to knowledge of the ancient city.
    "Now we know a little bit more about this culture. We're still missing a lot. We're just starting to strip away from the surface in Teotihuacan of which we know little about. But we're seeing that public spaces like the Moon Square, the citadel and the Square of the Sun Pyramid were used for social and religious unity and cohesion and then this allowed for this great city to be built," she said.
    Teotihuacan, a city boasting massive stone pyramids that was home to as many as 200,000 people, was the heart of an ancient empire that flourished between 100 and 700 A.D.
    Teotihuacan, or "abode of the gods" in the Aztec language of Nahuatl, was distinct from the Mayan civilization. Its inhabitants left behind no written record, abandoning the city long before the Aztecs came to power in the 14th century.
    Spaniards dug at Teotihuacan in the 1670s, but rigourous scientific excavation of the site did not begin until the 1950s.
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