MEXICO: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FLOCK TO THE PYRAMID OF THE SUN IN TEOTIHUACAN TO CELEBRATE ANNUAL SPRING EQUINOX

Record ID: 308453

  • Title: MEXICO: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FLOCK TO THE PYRAMID OF THE SUN IN TEOTIHUACAN TO CELEBRATE ANNUAL SPRING EQUINOX
  • Date: 21st March 2004
  • Summary: (U7) TEOTIHUACAN, MEXICO (MARCH 21, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. GENERAL VIEW OF PYRAMID OF THE SUN 0.04 2. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERED 0.08 3. GENERAL VIEW/SLV OF PEOPLE DRESSED IN CEREMONIAL CLOTHING, PERFORMING RITUAL DANCE (2 SHOTS) 0.16 4. ONLOOKERS 0.20 5. SCU: MAN BLOWING SEA SHELL 0.26 6. CU: RITUAL DANCE 0.30 7.
  • Embargoed: 5th April 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: TEOTIHUACAN, MEXICO
  • Country: Mexico
  • Reuters ID: LVAF4X8L1KLTZTZSGLE57ZHHF4WH
  • Story Text: Mexico welcomes spring with their annual celebration
    at the Pyramid of the Sun.


    Thousands of people, including Mexicans and
    tourists, flocked to Mexico's ancient Aztec pyramids in
    Teotihuacan (Teh-oh-Tee-wah-can) on Sunday (March 21) to
    mark the spring equinox as part of their annual mystical
    celebration.

    Every year, thousands of people flock to the Pyramid of
    the Sun, the largest stone pyramid in all of pre-Columbian
    America, as part of the spring equinox celebration to purge
    the icy winter season and receive the sun's energy that
    they believe arrives with the start of spring.

    Long lines of people snaked up the pyramid where, for
    20 pesos, a witch doctor will conduct a spiritual cleansing
    with branches of Mexico's pirul tree and amulets for love,
    work and health.

    "It is the base of our culture," said one man
    participating in the annual event. "This was the stamp of
    Mexican culture for many years and this is something we
    should pass down to our children."
    The Pyramid of the Sun is located in Teotihuacan which
    means "City of the Gods" in the indigenous Nahuatl
    (Nah-wah-tell) language. The pyramid has 264 steps and
    measures 738 feet on each side and is about 213 feet tall.

    Teotihuacan, northeast of Mexico City, is organized
    around a central axis called the "Avenue of the Dead". The
    name stems from an early rumour that this was where the
    Teotihuacanos buried their kings.


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