Evidence of Ancient Trade in Mexico

This is an interesting article subject wise, but even more interesting is that all of the archaeologists mentioned in the article are women.

From ArtDaily.org
August 21, 2010
Finding Reveals Contact Between Teotihuacan and Costa Grande Region

MEXICO CITY.- Nearly 6,000 fragments of Teotihuacan-style ceramics, more than 1,400 years old, were found recently in Costa Grande Region, in Guerrero, by specialists of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

The finding reveals that Prehispanic groups such as Tepoztecas, Cuitlatecas and Tomiles that dwelled the area had relations with Teotihuacan, and not only Mezcala groups as thought before.

“Fragments of vessels and flat bowls with finger support, some of them with the Tlaloc effigy and theater censers of a Teotihuacan style never seen before in Guerrero were found”, explained the archaeologist Rosa Maria Reyna, who explored with Elizabeth Galeana the El Embarcadero Archaeological Site, where the finding took place.

“This finding opens new interpretations about the relations of Teotihuacan people with other cultures, and at the same time, promotes research of cultures and archaeological sites in Costa Grande, one of the less studied regions of Guerrero”, mentioned the archaeologist.

Announced by the archaeologist at the 4th Table “Anthropological and Historical Knowledge of Guerrero”, taking place until August 21st 2010 in Taxco, Guerrero, she remarked that the discovery of these ceramic pieces that date from Early Classic period (250-650 AD) reinforce the few evidence had until now that confirmed that Costa Grande Region had commercial and cultural relations with Teotihuacan since an early age.

“We knew that Teotihuacan maintained economic and cultural interaction with Mezcala culture –settled between 150 and 650 AD- by the greenstone masks found at Teotihuacan, but there was no evidence of interaction with other populations settled in what today is Guerrero”.

After laboratory studies practiced by archaeologist Gabriela Escamilla, it was determined that 20 per cent of ceramics found in El Embarcadero, located in the municipality of Coyuca de Benitez, has a Teotihuacan style not known in Guerrero, “which indicates a very close relation between this coastal settlement and Teotihuacan”.

The Guerrero INAH Center archaeologist commented that in other Costa Grande sites such as Soledad de Maciel and Tambuco, Teotihuacan-style ceramics were found in recent years, but theater censers have only been discovered at El Embarcadero.

She also mentioned that studies also indicate that many of the objects found were not imported from Teotihuacan, but made in Costa Grande following the Teotihuacan style.

Finally, Rosa Maria Reyna pointed out that archaeological explorations conducted until now at El Embarcadero indicate that Teotihuacan influenced the ceramic production but not its architecture, since no monumental structures were constructed.

Sun Pyramid was Axis Mundi

An interesting article at Art Daily (July 27, 2009): Sun Pyramid was the axis mundi for Teotihuacan culture, a space from which celestial and underworld levels were accessed symbolically. The four directions of the universe parted from here as well, and this scheme was adopted later by Tolteca and Mexica societies when drafting their ceremonial centers. The later was informed by archaeologist Eduardo Matos Moctezuma during his participation at “Teotihuacan, identity and heritage of Mexico” master conference series, taking place in the National Museum of Anthropology (MNA) as part of the 70th anniversary of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) celebrations. For the INAH emeritus professor that collaborated with the Teotihuacan Project (1962-1964) and directed a special archaeological initiative there in the early 1990’s, there are several elements that confirm the sacredness of the Sun Pyramid. Rest of article.

Cave Under Pyramid of the Sun To Be Reopened

From Yahoo News

Researchers open secret cave under Mexican pyramid

By Miguel Angel Gutierrez Thu Jul 3, 12:22 PM ET
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Archeologists are opening a cave sealed for more than 30 years deep beneath a Mexican pyramid to look for clues about the mysterious collapse of one of ancient civilization's largest cities.

The soaring Teotihuacan stone pyramids, now a major tourist site about an hour outside Mexico City, were discovered by the ancient Aztecs around 1500 AD, not long before the arrival of Spanish explorers to Mexico.

But little is known about the civilization that built the immense city, with its ceremonial architecture and geometric temples, and then torched and abandoned it around 700 AD.

Archeologists are now revisiting a cave system that is buried 20 feet beneath the towering Pyramid of the Sun and extends into a tunnel stretching for some 295 feet (90 meters) with a height of 8 feet.

They say new excavations begun this month could be the key to unlocking information about the sacred rituals of the people who inhabited the city, later dubbed "The Place Where Men Become Gods" by the Aztecs who believed it was a divine site.

"We think it had a ritual purpose. Offerings were placed at the very end of the tunnel as part of the pyramid's construction process," Mexican archeologist Alejandro Sarabia told Reuters.

"We want to find out why the Teotihuacan people sealed it and when," he said.

Sarabia said the tunnel was first discovered in the early 1970s but it was closed soon afterward, and most of the information about it was lost when the archeologist who found it died.

Teotihuacan is Mexico's oldest major archeological site and during its heyday in 500 AD, the city was home to some 200,000 people, rivaling the size of ancient Rome at that time, according to archeologists.

Today, it is surrounded by encroaching slums spilling over from the outskirts of Mexico City, but swarms of tourists still visit the giant 212-foot (65-meter) sun pyramid each year to celebrate the spring equinox festival marking the sun's return to the northern hemisphere.

Writing by Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Eric Beech)