The Pyramids of Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan is situated in the central section of the Valley of Teotihuacan. The valley is in the northeastern part of the Basin of Mexico, a plateau over 2,000 meters high with a temperate semiarid climate. The later Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, grew up about 700 years after the collapse of Teotihuacan 60-km southwest on an island in the shallow lakes that spread in the Basin at that time. The Spaniards destroyed Tenochtitlan in the 16 th century. Teotihuacan arose as a new religious center in the Mexican Highland around the time of Christ. The next two centuries were characterized by monumental construction, during which Teotihuacan quickly became the largest and most populous urban center in the New World. By this time, the city already appears to have expanded to approximately 20 square km, with about 60,000 to 80,000 inhabitants. The development of the city seems to have involved inter-site population movements, exploitation of natural resources, an increase in agricultural production, technological inventions, establishment of trading systems and other kinds of socio-political organizations, and attractive belief systems.The city was dominated by three enormous pyramids called "Pyramid o
Imagery of things that flow gives a visual statement of the sacred value of the nearby river at Teotihuacan. The Temple of the Feathered Serpent supports the iconography of this theme. Wavy lines are presented with curved seashells to illustrate the flowing motion. Also the body of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent god, is shown connecting the heads on the pyramid. There are 365 alternating faces on the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. This directly suggests the cyclical importance of the calendar, the flow of time.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Middle American, Serpent Pyramid, Sun Pyramid, Moon Pyramid, Moon Plaza, Avenue Dead, Highland Christ, Feathered Serpent, San Juan, Ciudadela Compound, feathered serpent, moon pyramid, feathered serpent pyramid, serpent pyramid, sun pyramid, avenue dead, moon plaza, main plaza, pyramid covered, pyramid complex, pyramid moon, sun pyramid moon, pyramid sun pyramid, temple feathered serpent, moon plaza main,
Approximate Word count = 1700
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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