Pyramid of the Moon
The Pyramid of the Moon is a significant structure located in the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacán, situated approximately 30 miles north of present-day Mexico City. This city, which thrived around 500 CE and housed around 200,000 inhabitants, predates the Aztec civilization by several centuries. The Pyramid of the Moon, found at the northern end of the Avenue of the Dead, is notable for its impressive dimensions, measuring about 460 by 490 feet at its base and originally standing between 148 to 151 feet tall. The pyramid was designed to enhance the height of stone temples and served as a site for sacrifices to deities. Over time, it underwent at least six renovations, with each new layer constructed over the previous ones, indicating the evolution of architectural styles. Excavations have unearthed various artifacts, such as obsidian, ceramics, and jade, yet the purpose of the pyramid and the reasons behind the eventual decline of its civilization remain largely enigmatic. This lack of written records contributes to the mystery surrounding both the Pyramid of the Moon and the people who built it.
Pyramid of the Moon
Related civilizations: Maya, Teotihuacán.
Date: 200-700 c.e.
Locale: Central Mexico
Pyramid of the Moon
The Pyramid of the Moon is located in Teotihuacán, an ancient Mesoamerican city about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of present-day Mexico City. The people who once lived there predated the powerful Aztec civilization by several hundred years. Teotihuacán peaked around 500 c.e. and had about 200,000 inhabitants. No one knows why the citizens of this city left or disappeared. They left no writing system, only ruins. These ruins are as mysterious as the Teotihuacános themselves. The later Aztecs called two of the great structures in the city the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon. A road labeled the Avenue of the Dead connected them. The Pyramid of the Moon is located at the northern end of this avenue.
The Pyramid of the Moon is about 460 by 490 feet (140 by 150 meters) at its base and was 148 to 151 feet (45 to 46 meters) high in its prime. Its walls were symmetrically aligned with the walls of every other structure in Teotihuacán. The Pyramid of the Moon was built to add height to stone temples and to make sacrifices to their deities. It underwent at least six facelifts, as made evident by the different styles of stone blocks present in the ruin. Each new addition was larger, covering the previous structure. The entire pyramid was probably built on top of several buildings. Numerous artifacts have been found in and around this structure, including obsidian pieces, figurines, ceramics, and jade carvings. In spite of these finds, the Pyramid of the Moon is still one of the least understood and most mysterious of all the ruins in Teotihuacán.
Bibliography
Adams, Richard E. W., and Murdo J. MacLeod, eds. Mesoamerica. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Mendelssohn, Kurt. Riddle of the Pyramids. New York: Praeger, 1974.
Tompkins, Peter. Mysteries of the Mexican Pyramids. New York: Harper and Row, 1976.