The city was a center of industry. Many potters, jewelers, and craftsmen lived there. Many obsidian artifacts were produced in Teotihuacán. However, no ancient Teotihuacan non-ideographic texts are known to exist (or known to have existed). Mentions of the city in inscriptions from Maya cities show that Teotihuacán nobility travelled to local rulers, as far away as Honduras. It might have conquered them. Maya inscriptions mention an individual nicknamed by scholars as "Spearthrower Owl". He seems to have been a ruler of Teotihuacán, who reigned for over 60 years. He installed his relatives as rulers of Tikal and Uaxactúnin Guatemala Most of what we infer about the culture at Teotihuacán comes from the murals on the site and others, like the Wagner Murals, found in private collections, and from hieroglyphic inscriptions made by the Maya describing their encounters with Teotihuacan conquerors.
The religion of Teotihuacán is similar to those of other Mesoamerican cultures. Many of the same gods were worshipped. This includes the Feathered Serpent and The Rain god. Teotihuacán was know to be a major religious center. The priests most likely had a great deal of political power. As with other Mesoamerican cultures, the people of Teotihuacán practiced human sacrifice. Human bodies and animal sacrifices have been found during excavations of the pyramids at Teotihuacán. When the buildings were expanded, sacrifices were probably made to dedicate the new building. The victims could have been enemy warriors captured in battle. They were then brought to the city to be ritually sacrificed so the city could prosper. Some were decapitated, others had their hearts removed, still others were killed by being hit several times over the head. Some were even buried alive. Animals that were considered sacred and represented mythical powers and military might were also buried alive. They were imprisoned in cages, though. Cougars, a wolf, eagles, a falcon, an owl, and even venomous snakes were among those found.
Research on faunal and botanical remains from exploited apartment compounds found that there was a variety of resources for the city's diet. What was found included maize, amaranth, beans, squash, chili peppers, tomatoes, maguey, huahzontle, purslane, Mexican hawthorn, and Mexican cherries. A residue analysis from some ceramic vessels also demonstrated that a portion of Teotihuacán's dietary input was pulque, which was fermented from the sap of the maguey cactus. Studies of faunal remains at various apartment compounds suggest that the primary animal species consumed included several species of rabbits, white-tailed deer, dog, waterbirds, fish, quail, turkey, dove, and turtle. Egg fragments from these animals such as quail and turkey were also found to be a primary use of protein. Due to the consumption of white-tailed deer, It is still argued whether or not the people of Tehuatican hunted more or relied on domestic animals.
The city's broad central avenue, called "Avenue of the Dead," is flanked by impressive ceremonial architecture, including the immense Pyramid of the Sun (second largest in the New World after the Great Pyramid of Cholula) and the Pyramid of the Moon. Along the Avenue of the Dead are many smaller talud-tablero platforms. The Aztecs believed they were tombs, inspiring the name of the avenue. Now they are known to be ceremonial platforms that were topped with temples. Further down the Avenue of the Dead is the area known as the Citadel, containing the ruined Temple of the Feathered Serpent. This area was a large plaza surrounded by temples that formed the religious and political center of the city. The name "Citadel" was given to it by the Spanish, who believed it was a fort.
One aspect that was unique to Teotihuacán's layout was their utilization of apartment compounds. Over time, there were over 2,000 apartment compounds throughout city. These compounds didn't just house one family, but housed multiple families. These housed various people in all aspects of social classes as well. However, these people were not sent to live in certain compounds at random. Teotihuacán had a housing system which ensured that people and their families who had the same occupation would also live with other families with that same oppcupation. Rabbit breeders lived with rabbit breeders and plasters lived with plasters. However, it was also very common for people to do multiple specializations. Many did lots of farm work or specialized in some other sort of craft specialty. These compounds provided a standardized residential form but varied on the inside and expressed status, class, occupational, and ethnic differences between families. In every compound, each family had its own suite of rooms for cooking, dining, storing their belongings, and sleeping. They also had areas for directing funerals and burying their dead. Patios were centers of household religious dedication focused on patron or domestic deities.
The Moon Pyramid was the first of the three major pyramids to be built. It was constructed in several stages that had a fourth enlargement during the third century A.D. Four burial complexes were found with sacrificial victims and some wealthy objects, but none seemed to be anything important like a ruler or someone high in the religious or political realm.
The Sun Pyramid is near an artificial cave and is associated with the Storm God, time, astronomy, the sun, and the Pleiades. This pyramid was mostly dedicated to investments and pilgrimage. Due to the pyramid’s semi-detached platform, it was known as the area of New Fire ceremonies. The New Fire ceremonies only happened at the end of a 52-year cycle at the time where new houses, temples, and cities were founded, and new rulers came into power.
The Feathered Serpent Pyramid was the last large temple added to the Street of the Dead. This pyramid is linked to the creation of a watery world with sacred warfare, sacrifice, authority, and rulership. Dedication of this temple included offerings of sacrificed warriors and some have theorized that other people who were sacrificed were captives. A central tomb was found, but had been looted in prior times. Many consider this tomb to be for someone that was a ruler or for someone of high importance.
Knowledge of the great ruins of Teotihuacán was never lost. After the fall of the city, various squatters lived on the site. During Aztec times, the city was a place of pilgrimage and identified with the myth of Tollan, the place where the sun was created. Teotihuacán astonished the Spanish "conquistadores" during the post-conquest era. Today Teotihuacán is one of the most noted archaeological attractions in Mexico.
Minor archaeological excavations were conducted in the 19th century, and in 1905 major projects of excavation and restoration began under archaeologist Leopoldo Batres. The Pyramid of the Sun was restored to celebrate the centennial of Mexican Independence in 1910. Major programs of excavation and restoration were carried out in 1960-65 and 1980-82. Recent projects at the Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent have greatly expanded evidence of cultural practices. Teotihuacán features museums and reconstructed structures.
Deadwood (TV series)
Deadwood is an American dramatic television series. It was first shown in March 2004 on HBO. The series is a Western set in the 1870s in Deadwood, South Dakota. At the time, Deadwood was little more than a camp, but it was a popular place to go for those searching for gold in the Black Hills. The series shows Deadwood's growth from camp to town. It deals with ideas ranging from the creation of communities to western capitalism.