Cerro Gordo, the mountain that frames the Pyramid of the Moon in tourist photos, appears from space to be a massive, square, Native American temple mound. A climb up the rock strewn slopes of this mountain revealed many mysteries that have apparently gone unnoticed by most archaeologists.
San Martín de las Pirámides, MEXICO -- It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mexico’s most famous tourist attraction and draws over four million visitors a year. Archaeologists come from around the world to study the ruins of this city that around 500 AD had at least 100,000 inhabitants, perhaps 250,000. Surprisingly, despite the attention given the ruins by archaeologists during the past century, only five percent of the site has been excavated. Many secrets may still be buried under the ground of this flat, semi-arid valley . . . or looking down at tourists from the mountain above.
The archaeological zone is now located at the edge of the metropolitan development of Mexico City, or about 25 miles (40 km) from the city’s boundaries. Whereas three decades ago the ruins were surrounded by farms and villages that seemed not to have changed in 400 years, a visitor now is only a short walk away from modern shopping centers and even a SuperWalmart, in San Juan Teotihuacan. Although development had encroached onto former residential neighborhoods of the ancient city, the Mexican government now owns most of the ruins.
Teotihuacan is a Nahuatl (Aztec) word that has been interpreted by linguists to mean either “birthplace of the gods,” home of the gods,” or “roadway of the gods.” “Roadway of the gods" is gaining in favor. Neither the Toltecs nor the Aztecs lived in the city. They were nowhere around until after the Teotihuacan was abandoned. In fact the ancestors of the Toltecs, may have had something to do with the city's downfall.
Humble beginnings as an underground shrine
Mexican anthropologists now believe that Teotihuacan began around 400 BC as a shrine in a cavern or man made cave that exists today under the Pyramid of the Sun. Archaeologists are currently exploring caverns and tunnels near the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon. They have recently found extensive evidence of human sacrifice; especially in association with the initial construction stages of the larger pyramids.
The village around the shrine grew slowly until the Xitle volcano erupted in 50 BC, destroying the most important town in the region, Cuicuilco. Lava covered much of the Valley of Mexico’s landscape, forcing refugees to resettle around the Teotihuacan site. Construction was begun on the Pyramid of the Sun around 100 AD. This was about 200 years after initial construction of the slightly larger Pyramid of Cholula near Pueblo, Mexico. Pueblo is located southeast of Mexico City on the eastern flank of a chain of volcanoes.
Teotihuacan grew into a cosmopolitan metropolis that eventually controlled or influenced many city states throughout Mesoamerica, even those of the Mayas. Maya stelae (carved stone monuments) describe the nobility of Teotihuacan being "appointed" kings of Maya cities during the period from 300 AD to 600 AD. As a result neighborhoods for specific ethnic developed in the city. The foreigners probably worked as trade ambassadors and merchants.
The Totonac Indians of Mexico claim to have been the founders of the city. In 2001 anthropologist Terrence Kaufman identified linguistic evidence that the Totonacs and people of Mixtec-Zoque heritage were important ethnic groups in the city. Other anthropologists feel that the Otomi were the predominant ethnic group, since the Otomi language was known to have been spoken in the region around Teotihuacan, both before and after its lifespan. Anthropologists continue to disagree on this topic.
The cultural impact of Teotihuacan reached far beyond Mexico. The Totonac word for Teotihuacan was T’ula, which means “Place of the Reads.” The Itsate-Creek Indians of Georgia, the Carolinas, eastern Tennessee and northern Florida also used the word “t’ula” for a town. This is no coincidence because the Creek Indians also used the Totonac word for house, chiki, in their language.
The Itsate-Creek word for a village became t’lula, which English speakers interpreted as “talula” and applied to a gorge and river in the Southern Highlands. Talula ultimately became the first name of a famous actress, Tallulah Bankhead. A large Itsate town was called an E-t’ula. When Muskogee-Creeks came in contact with the Itsate Creeks, they modified E-t’ula into Etalwa. English speakers interpreted the word as Etowah. Thus, famous Etowah Mounds in Cartersville, GA are named after the probable, original name of Teotihuacan.
The city reached its peak of power and population around 500 AD. During the 500s a series of catastrophic volcanic eruptions in the Valley of Mexico (Mexico City area) and in southern Mexico, destroyed cities and farmlands, plus altered the climate. Researchers have found evidence of famines in the late 500s that probably culminated in a popular revolt around 600 AD. All the public buildings and houses of the wealthy were burned. Skeletons of persons, who died violently, were found in the aristocratic houses. The city was still occupied until around 750 AD. After then, most of the residents moved away, or possibly died in an epidemic or military conquest.
Climbing Cerro Gordo
Archaeologists tend to look toward the ground and search for minute details. In my professional work, I tend to look at the horizon. I study the architecture and the interrelationships of buildings. I also study the relationship between entire towns and their natural environment. This macro-approach can sometimes result in surprising information about archaeological sites.
In my previous visits to Teotihuacan, I had been intrigued as to why the people built such a great city in such a seemingly desolate place. The main boulevard seemed to be pointing at “something.” When on top of the larger pyramids, the feeling is like being on the tower of an aircraft carrier because the wide “Avenue of the Dead” begins at the Pyramid of the Moon and then seems to head southwestward into infinity. The “roadway of the gods” actually points toward a “slingshot-shaped” gap between two mountains to the south, but one can not see that orientation except from far above the ruins.
In a moment of boyish curiosity, I decided to climb up 10,000 feet (3,100 m) high Cerro Gordo behind the Pyramid of the Moon, just to see what was up there. My compass was set to match the orientation of the Avenue of the Dead. I then went northward from the Pyramid of the Moon toward Cerro Gordo. Teotihuacan extended all the way to the base of the mountain.
The semi-desert landscape is littered with pottery shards and stone artifacts extended back in age several thousand years. In one gully, I found a semi-vitrified ceramic figurine of a jaguar eating a human skeleton. It probably was at least 3,000 years old. Pre-European pottery is so abundant that I am certain that the local farmers ignore them when plowing.
There were no trails or streams on the mountain. Its side was covered with volcanic boulders. As I climbed up 2000 feet on the difficult terrain, I saw no evidence of civilization or cultivation. However, the views became increasingly spectacular as altitude increased. It is only at this altitude that one can comprehend the scale of Teotihuacan as a city.
Near the crest of the ancient volcano, I saw something that was totally unexpected. The ground was almost covered in places by glistening black volcanic glass . . . obsidian. At first I thought it was a natural deposit, but then closer inspection revealed that they razor sharp obsidian blades and atlatl points. The blades were used as the teeth of a type of lethal combination sword-club used in pre-Hispanic Mexico. The atlatl was a dart like spear thrown by Mesoamerican warriors.
A battle of massive proportions had been fought on top of this mountain at some time in the past. Once on the rim of Cerro Gordo, I walked over a mile (1.6 km) in each direction and continued to see the evidence of a massive battle. There is no mention of this place in Mexican archaeological literature.
The top of Cerro Gordo appeared to have been a lake or water reservoir. Once can see ancient pre-Hispanic rock work that either functioned as defensive walls or bridge gaps in the crater rim. Now the mountain top is covered in lush green pastures, which suggests that water is abundant, even if it is no longer visible. There is also evidence that a pre-Spanish stone aqueduct once connected the crater reservoir with the Avenue of the Dead in Teotihuacan.
I had foolishly brought along only a small canteen of water, and was dehydrating. A deaf and dumb Native American goat herd shared some fresh goat milk and queso blanco (fresh, white cheese) with me. He would not let me take his photograph, but did let me sketch him. He then pointed to the west and hand signaled that there was potable water in that direction.
It was a radar station for the Mexico City airport. The engineers were quite shocked to see a gringo, who had walked up the slopes of Cerro Gordo. The one who first opened the door was holding a pistol. The team relaxed though, when I showed them my credentials. They gave me grape Koolaid from an aluminum pot on the stove and a sack lunch provided by the government.
One of the summer staff members was an archeology student from the National University of Mexico. The young man had been scavenging for surface artifacts after work areas. He told me that the occupation of the mountain top seemed much, much older than Teotihuacan. He also suggested that I would enjoy eating my lunch on top of Montezuma’s Temple, which was to the east of the radar station. I followed the path from the radar station. Just as I arrived at the rim of the crater, I could see the ancient structure . . . an Aztec pyramid and temple in pristine condition. The Spanish had never known about its existence, and therefore never sacked it. The Aztec emperors could see most of their empire from its top.
The view from the top of Cerro Gordo is best described as surrealistic. The massive ruins of Teotihuacan are but a speck on the landscape below. I was there on an especially clear day, so volcanoes could be seen rising above the mountain ridges in several directions. If any place could be called the “Place of the Gods,” it could be this mountain top crater of a long extinct volcano. With the goats, sheep and cattle grazing on the intensely green pastures, the feeling was like that of Shangra La or “Paradise Found.”
Cerro Gordo is apparently ignored by most Mexican and North American archaeologists and remains a place of great mystery. It seems to be the reason that Teotihuacan was founded, and perhaps its human occupation predates the city by several thousand years. The original rulers of Teotihuacan may have lived on top of Cerro Gordo. This may be the reason that later generations of rulers in the Americas lived on top of mounds or pyramids. Another interpretation would be that originally there was an ethnic group living on Cerro Gordo, who seemed like gods to the local inhabitants.
In Mexico, there is no cultural memory of a great battle being fought on Cerro Gordo. Was it the last stand of the aristocrats of Teotihuacan around 600 AD? Could it have been a battle that preceded the city’s finding or came after its abandonment? Whatever the case, there are still many mysteries to be solved in ancient Mexico.
On behalf of the Examiner Staff and Native American scholars around the continent, I would like to thank you, the Examiner READERS, who have contributed so much important information to our ongoing research into North America's past during the past few weeks. It might seem implausible that individuals, alone, could make a difference, but you have! Several pieces of the puzzle have been solved by your help. We would enjoy your emails at NativeQuestion@aol.com.
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