Teotihuacan, Ancient Mexico

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the city of Teotihuacan was situated in the Valley of Mexico, about 50 kilometers to the northeast of modern Mexico City, which began its growth between 200 and 100 B.C., and by around 150 A.D., had an estimated population of over 125,000 people, covering an area of more than 20 square kilometers. The author points out that the geographic location of Teotihuacan provided resources of obsidian and other materials suitable for building, ornamentation, and trade. The paper relates that the surviving buildings of Teotihuacan are of an austere design, using expressive planar surfaces and massive architectonic volumes; the temples are seen as artificial mountains, connecting the people of the city to the sky as the home of the gods and affirming their centrality in the universe. Illustrations.

From the Paper:

"The surviving evidence for the city reveals a planned metropolis, with extensive and wide streets and avenues, very large buildings, and regions of religious, administrative and industrial constructions as well as extensive housing. Teotihuacan reached its peak of size and power between circa 150 A.D. and 700 A.D., the "Classic" period of Mesoamerican civilization during which period it extended its influence throughout Mesoamerica. It has been called "the dominant Middle American site of the first half of the Classic era." "

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