Located at the centre of Tenochtitlan the Templo Mayor was the religious and social heart of the Aztec empire
What happened at the Templo Mayor?
Templo Mayor at Tenochtitlan, the Coyolxauhqui Stone, and an Olmec Mask. In 1978, electrical workers in Mexico City came across a remarkable discovery. While digging near the main plaza, they found a finely carved stone monolith that displayed a dismembered and decapitated woman.
What is Templo Mayor known for?
The Templo Mayor (Spanish for “Main Temple”) was the main temple of the Mexica people in their capital city of Tenochtitlan , which is now Mexico City. ... The Great Temple devoted to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, measuring approximately 100 by 80 m (328 by 262 ft) at its base, dominated the Sacred Precinct.
What was the purpose of Tenochtitlan?
In less than 200 years, it evolved from a small settlement on an island in the western swamps of Lake Texcoco into the powerful political, economic, and religious center of the greatest empire of Precolumbian Mexico. Tenochtitlan was a city of great wealth, obtained through the spoils of tribute from conquered regions.
Who is Templo Mayor dedicated to?
The seven major building phases of the Templo Mayor began with a simple structure, probably dedicated to Huitzilopochtli , built in 1325 when Tenochtitlan was founded. Subsequently the Templo Mayor grew enormously both in size and elaboration, resulting in the impressive structure seen by the Spaniards in 1519.
Who really built Teotihuacan?
And its origins are a mystery. It was built by hand more than a thousand years before the swooping arrival of the Nahuatl-speaking Aztec in central Mexico. But it was the Aztec, descending on the abandoned site, no doubt falling awestruck by what they saw, who gave its current name: Teotihuacan.
When was the Templo Mayor destroyed?
The temple was surrounded by a serpent wall and the entire structure would have been brightly painted. You can still see many of the original colors today. In 1521 CE , the Spanish destroyed Templo Mayor to make way for a new cathedral. The ruins were buried and largely forgotten until their rediscovery in the 1970s.
Why did the Aztecs sacrifice prisoners of war to the god Huitzilopochtli?
The rationale for Aztec human sacrifice was, first and foremost, a matter of survival . ... The keep the sun moving across the sky and preserve their very lives, the Aztecs had to feed Huitzilopochtli with human hearts and blood. More than 650 skulls and thousands of fragments found near Templo Mayor.
Why did Aztecs build temples?
Temple-pyramids were used for religious ceremonies and sacrifice . ... The Aztecs believed their pyramids were the homes of their gods and places of worship. Burials have been found within their walls, and the pyramids were also used to perform rituals of sacrifice.
Where was Tlaloc found?
Tlaloc vessel, c. 1440-70, found Templo Mayor, Tenochtitlan , ceramic (Museo del Templo Mayor, Mexico City) Speakers: Dr.
What is Tenochtitlan called today and why?
Tenochtitlán. Tenochtitlán, ancient capital of the Aztec empire. Located at the site of modern Mexico City , it was founded c. ... It formed a confederacy with Texcoco and Tlacopán and was the Aztec capital by the late 15th century.
Why was Tenochtitlan destroyed?
The Fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, was a decisive event in the Spanish conquest of the empire. It occurred in 1521 following extensive manipulation of local factions and exploitation of pre-existing political divisions by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés.
What were the main features of Tenochtitlan?
The Aztec built their capital city, Tenochtitlan, on Lake Texcoco. Built on two islands, the area was extended using chinampas—small, artificial islands created above the waterline that were later consolidated. Tenochtitlan eventually reached an area of more than 13 square kilometers (five square miles).
Who discovered Templo Mayor?
Early excavations made by the pioneering Mexican archaeologist Leopold Batres in the late 19th Century were cursory, while further digs made between then and World War Two were seen as little more than a nuisance by those living in the elegant residential streets of this central quarter of Mexico City.
How was Templo Mayor built?
It was built as though two pyramids were joined together . It also had a double stair and two temple structures were located on the top: the northern one was dedicated to Tlaloc, the god of rain, and the southern one was dedicated to Huitzilopochtli, the god of war.
