Teotihuacan

Teōtihuācān

Mexico · State of México

Ancient cityIntermittent excavationUNESCO · 1987
Approximate period200 BCE — 750 CELate Preclassic and Classic periods; principal urban development See on the map ↓

In brief

It is one of the largest ancient cities in Mesoamerica. Its pyramids, residential compounds and murals reveal the city's political, economic and religious importance.

What was found?

  • 1Spider monkey skeleton

    The complete skeleton of a female spider monkey approximately 1,700 years old was found. According to researchers, the animal's transportation and life under human care provide evidence of diplomatic gift exchange with Maya elites.

  • 2Maya-style mural fragments

    Thousands of Maya-style mural fragments were uncovered in the Plaza of the Columns complex. They are tangible traces of strong connections with the Maya world in the city.

  • 3Feasting ceramics

    Ceramic fragments associated by researchers with a large feast were found. The assemblage suggests that relationships among elites were also established through shared meals.

  • 4Pyramid of the Sun

    It is one of the city's great monuments set within a geometric and symbolic plan. Its scale documents extensive planning and construction organization.

  • 5Temple of the Feathered Serpent

    Also known as the Temple of Quetzalcoatl, this building stands out for its sculptural and painted decoration. It is one of the principal examples of the city's ceremonial architecture.

What does it point to?

Alongside its great monuments, Teotihuacán was a city where people, objects, and ideas from distant regions came together. According to researchers, when the monkey, murals, and feasting remains are considered together, the Maya connections extend beyond trade and migration to diplomacy among elites.

What did it teach us?

  1. It showed that the Maya presence might not be explained solely by migrant communities and that diplomatic relations should also be considered.
  2. Analyses of the animal's teeth and bones made it possible to reconstruct its history of transportation and feeding under human care.
  3. The city plan documented the incorporation of natural features, alongside monuments, into the large-scale urban layout.

Images

Tourists climbing lower stairs of Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan
Daniel Case · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Edificios superpuestos - Teotihuacan - MX
Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Latest news / selected archive

Research published in 2022 showed that the spider monkey found at the Plaza of the Columns may have been brought as part of diplomatic relations with Maya elites.

Record

Culture
Teotihuacán
Team / historical
Plaza of the Columns Project; Nawa Sugiyama and Saburo Sugiyama
Coordinates
19.6917°, -98.8417°

Sources

  1. whc.unesco.org
  2. lugares.inah.gob.mx
  3. news.ucr.edu

Nearby excavations


—
—
12.000

From beneath the soil: latest discoveries

  • Rare Messapic inscriptions found in a 2,300-year-old tomb in Italy

    Two Messapic inscriptions were found on the cover slabs of a rock-cut tomb in Manduria. According to researchers, the texts may indicate that the woman associated with the tomb held a religious role; a connection to priesthood and the cult of Demeter has not yet been confirmed.

    Heritage Daily ↗
  • Main sewer line and inscriptions describing Roman rituals found at Aquinum

    Investigations at Aquinum uncovered the main sewer line, a group of 120 coins and religious inscriptions. The finds help researchers understand water management in the Roman city and practices such as consecrating places struck by lightning.

    Heritage Daily ↗
  • Analysis of Inca mummies detects traces of coca, alcohol and harmine

    Hair and nail analyses of eight Inca mummies from Peru and Argentina identified evidence of coca consumption, alcohol in four individuals and traces of harmine in the Ampato mummy. According to researchers, the use of different substances shows that sacrificial ceremonies varied according to local traditions.

    Arkeofili ↗
  • Object from a 5,300-year-old grave in Russia identified as a kidney stone

    Analyses of an object measuring approximately 2.1 centimeters, found in a Bronze Age grave in the Stavropol Upland, revealed a mineral composition consistent with a kidney stone. According to researchers, the find indicates that the man buried in the grave had a chronic infection, providing direct evidence of diseases of the period.

    Arkeofili ↗
  • 3,000-year-old bronze objects found during battlefield survey in Hungary

    A survey of the Mezőkeresztes battlefield uncovered a large bronze vessel and two decorated spiral arm ornaments. The objects, dated to the 13th–11th centuries BC, were recovered with their original positions preserved, allowing researchers to study Bronze Age practices of burying valuable objects.

    Heritage Daily ↗
  • 2,600-year-old mudbrick structure identified beneath the city of Buto in Egypt

    The walls of a large mudbrick structure identified through satellite and geophysical surveys were confirmed by a trial excavation. According to the researchers, a layer of sand placed beneath the foundations may have helped protect the structure in the waterlogged ground of the Nile Delta.

    Heritage Daily ↗ · Excavation notebook
  • Celtic woman's grave containing jewelry and animal remains found in Germany

    A woman's skeleton, heavy bronze anklets, a sapropelite arm ring, and the remains of a lamb or kid were found in the grave in Bavaria. According to the researchers, placing the animal in the grave as a food offering represents an unusual example of Celtic funerary practices in the region.

    Arkeofili ↗
  • Cupboard containing personal belongings, childhood amulets and coins found in Pompeii

    Grooming items, 38 bronze coins and a necklace made up of at least 24 amulets were found in a cupboard in a house in Pompeii that had remained closed since the eruption in AD 79. The preservation of these objects together provides detailed information about everyday life and personal mementos in Roman times.

    Arkeofili ↗ · Excavation notebook

    All excavation sites (395)

    Türkiye

    Kazakhstan

    Federated States of Micronesia

    Guatemala

    Honduras

    North Macedonia

    Sri Lanka