is the amazing and beautiful country rich with various sights. The history of Mexico contains any one hundred years and combines a set of sides. Here and the contemporary history – revolution, Pancho Villla, territorial war with the USA – and the Spanish conquistadors who in a root changed process of this country and, certainly, the most ancient Indian civilizations, whose roots are lost in the depth of centuries. For this reason, to Mexico go not only to have a good time on its snow-white beaches and to be redeemed in the ocean much, but also to adjoin to the ancient history of this country.
Many cities of Mexico can brag of the most worthy and rich museums where various exhibits devoted to any given historical period are collected. However the museums which are under the open sky – ruins of buildings, temple complexes and other constructions of ancient civilizations are not less interesting. One of such remarkable places which is annually bringing together many thousands of tourists are the well-known pyramids which are in the abandoned city of Teotihuacan that lies in fifty kilometers from Mexico City – the state capital.
How many years to this city, scientists find it difficult to establish. Nevertheless, he is officially recognized by the most ancient city in the whole western hemisphere that he says about more, than respectable age. As established researches, in the period of the highest dawn in Teotihuacan lived to two hundred thousand people that is very impressive figure even for our days – especially, in the ancient time it meant broad popularity and strong influence of the city on the territories surrounding it and on a way of life of the people inhabiting them.
The city won the fame long before approach of a new era. In the second century BC it became the large center to which the cities of smaller value submitted. An important point is the fact that other large city – Kuikuilko – approximately suffered in those days from a volcanic eruption in view of what most of the population moved to Teotihuacan.
Planning of the city causes involuntary respect even in modern architects – Teotihuacan was built up according to the accurate rule. Streets in it were crossed at right angle – also as they were done in the cities of Europe a century later. There was the central avenue, the areas, public constructions and dwellings of ordinary people. Today fragmentary something survived and each tourist can have idea of how people lived here two thousand years ago. However the main attraction of the city which safely reached our days and worried to a konkist, shocks of the latest centuries and natural cataclysms, are the well-known pyramids for the sake of which people also go today here.
Large pyramids, in number of four pieces, once outlined borders of the main square of Teotihuacan. By the way, that area was designed for hundred thousand people – similar scales seldom meet today and in the world capitals. All together, together with the central construction – a citadel – forms a uniform complex.
Directly on the center of a citadel the main pyramid devoted to ancient god Kettsalkoatl – to the Feathery Dragon is located. Directly it is adjoined by two palaces – Southern and Northern. In former times palaces performed functions of the administrative centers, and, besides, in them there lived the high-ranking grandees. Other known pyramids – Pyramid of the Sun and Pyramid of the Moon. Put on massive platforms, in height they exceed a mark in sixty and in forty meters respectively.
Perhaps, the Mexican pyramids are not so grandiose as their Egyptian fellows on the Giza plateau – and, in any case, less broad masses know of them. However and in pre-Columbian America the pyramid historically was the cult construction devoted to gods. And in Teotihuacan, pyramids combined in themselves several functions at once. First of all, they were sanctuaries. It is established that Pyramid of the Sun was once crowned by the temple executed from a tree which remains were found by archeologists. During ritual holidays on platforms of pyramids there were priests, making religious rites, and the excited crowd watched them from the area.
Just as it was in Egypt, the Mexican pyramids acted as tombs. Here only buried not tsars, not grandees and dignitaries and, most likely, the opponents killed during the sacrifices here. At least, under Pyramid of the Moon the camera with remains of twelve people was found – at all hands were tied, and some of them were beheaded. Obviously, it were the prisoners who are once captured by residents of Teotihuacan during military collisions. Today it is widely known of bloody traditions of the Indians of Central and South America connected with human sacrifices – most likely, the population of Teotihuacan was not an exception. Yes differently could not be, that there were people of the cruel century.
Besides remains of people, also bodies of animals – wolves, jaguars, pumas were found in pyramids. Possibly, and it is consequences of a certain ritual, obviously, connected with military valor as these animals personified force and were a totem of some military alliances of ancient Indians. So, it is possible to draw a conclusion that pyramids were the place really cult, without any exaggeration.
Also the design of pyramids is interesting. Unlike besides Egyptian analogs, pyramids of Teotihuacan were built from the earth, clay and revetted from above with a stone. Along the planes, ladders – were started up those to whom it was necessary could reach top. Pyramids make quite impressive impact on tourists also today, and people from all world's ends seek to look at them. It is easily explainable, the similar complex cannot be seen any more anywhere across all America – the fact that it remained besides it, can be hardly compared to greatness of pyramids of Teotihuacan. If you sometime manage to visit Mexico City, do not regret time and go there – to look personally at artifacts of an extreme antiquity.