Tlatelolco is an
archaeological excavation
In archaeology, excavation is the exposure, processing and recording of archaeological remains. An excavation site or "dig" is the area being studied. These locations range from one to several areas at a time during a project and can be condu ...
site in
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
, Mexico, where remains of the
pre-Columbian
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era, also known as the pre-contact era, or as the pre-Cabraline era specifically in Brazil, spans from the initial peopling of the Americas in the Upper Paleolithic to the onset of European col ...
city-state of
the same name have been found. It is centered on the
Plaza de las Tres Culturas
The Plaza de las Tres Culturas ("The Three Cultures square") is the main square within the Tlatelolco neighborhood of Mexico City. The name "Three Cultures" is in recognition of the three periods of Mexican history reflected by buildings in ...
. On one side of the square is this excavated
Tlatelolco site, on a second is the oldest European school of higher learning in the Americas called the
Colegio de Santa Cruz de Tlatelolco
The Colegio de Santa Cruz in Tlatelolco, Mexico City, is the first and oldest European school of higher learning in the Americas and the first major school of interpreters and translators in the New World. It was established by the Franciscans on ...
, and on the third stands a mid-20th-century modern office complex, formerly housing the Mexican
Foreign Ministry
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral re ...
, and since 2005 used as the ''Centro Cultural Universitario'' of
UNAM
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (, UNAM) is a public research university in Mexico. It has several campuses in Mexico City, and many others in various locations across Mexico, as well as a presence in nine countries. It also has 34 ...
(National University of Mexico).
Tlatelolco was founded in 1338, thirteen years later than
Tenochtitlan
, also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan, was a large Mexican in what is now the historic center of Mexico City. The exact date of the founding of the city is unclear, but the date 13 March 1325 was chosen in 1925 to celebrate the 600th annivers ...
. At the main temple of Tlatelolco, archeologists recently discovered a
pyramid
A pyramid () is a structure whose visible surfaces are triangular in broad outline and converge toward the top, making the appearance roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be of any polygon shape, such as trian ...
within the visible temple; the pyramid is more than 700 years old. This indicates that the site is older than previously thought, according to the
Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia
The Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH, ''National Institute of Anthropology and History'') is a Federal government of the United Mexican States, Mexican federal government bureau established in 1939 to guarantee the researc ...
(National Institute of Anthropology and History; INAH). Because this pyramid has design features similar to pyramids found in
Tenayuca
Tenayuca ( ) is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archaeological site in the Valley of Mexico. In the Postclassic period of Mesoamerican chronology, Tenayuca was a settlement on the former shoreline of the western arm of Lake Texcoco. It was locate ...
and
Tenochtitlan
, also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan, was a large Mexican in what is now the historic center of Mexico City. The exact date of the founding of the city is unclear, but the date 13 March 1325 was chosen in 1925 to celebrate the 600th annivers ...
, this site may prove to be the first mixed
Aztec
The Aztecs ( ) were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the Post-Classic stage, post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different Indigenous peoples of Mexico, ethnic groups of central ...
and
Tlatelolca construction found in Mexico.
Site
In the archaeological area there are temples dedicated to Mexican deities such as
Quetzalcoatl,
Ehecatl
Ehecatl ( , ) is a pre-Columbian deity associated with the wind, who features in Aztec mythology and the mythologies of other cultures from the central Mexico region of Mesoamerica. He is most usually interpreted as the aspect of the Feathered Se ...
and
Huītzilōpōchtli
Huitzilopochtli (, ) is the Solar deity, solar and war deity of sacrifice in Aztec religion. He was also the patron god of the Aztecs and their capital city, Tenochtitlan. He wielded Xiuhcoatl, the fire serpent, as a weapon, thus also associatin ...
. Prehispanic structures are mainly distributed to the south and north of the so-called Major Temple. Some of the most important identified buildings are:

* Major Temple. It is the largest structure; it is located in the central part of the area and the characteristics of stage II resemble those of
Tenayuca
Tenayuca ( ) is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archaeological site in the Valley of Mexico. In the Postclassic period of Mesoamerican chronology, Tenayuca was a settlement on the former shoreline of the western arm of Lake Texcoco. It was locate ...
and the
Templo Mayor
The (English: Main Temple) was the main temple of the Mexica people in their capital city of Tenochtitlan, Tenōchtitlan, which is now Mexico City. Its architectural style belongs to the late Mesoamerican chronology, Postclassic period of Me ...
of
Tenochtitlan
, also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan, was a large Mexican in what is now the historic center of Mexico City. The exact date of the founding of the city is unclear, but the date 13 March 1325 was chosen in 1925 to celebrate the 600th annivers ...
. It is a platform of three bodies with wide steps split in two by central and lateral alfardas. Apparently, this building was taller than that of Tenochtitlan.
* Calendar Temple. It shows a board decorated with unusual reliefs at the first three trecenas of the pre-Hispanic calendar
Tōnalpōhualli
The (), meaning "count of days" in Nahuatl, is a Aztec, Mexica version of the 260-day calendar in use in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. This calendar is solar and consists of 20 13-day () periods. Each is ruled by a different deity. Graphic repr ...
. It is the only minor temple with double staircase. In its main façade a mural painting with the creative deities of the pre-Hispanic calendar is shown.
* Temple R or Wind Complexes. It is a structure in whose upper part remains of an adoration dedicated to
Ehecatl
Ehecatl ( , ) is a pre-Columbian deity associated with the wind, who features in Aztec mythology and the mythologies of other cultures from the central Mexico region of Mesoamerica. He is most usually interpreted as the aspect of the Feathered Se ...
, corresponding to an earlier stage. In front of it were found burials and offerings composed of children –inside pots–, shells, stones and ceramic figurines.
* The Palace. It is a structure composed of four small rooms with a central courtyard and an altar, as well as Remains of a wide portal.
* Altar V. It is a minor building with four concentric staircases apparently dedicated to
Tlāloc.
* Temple of Paintings (buildings X and L). Three of the facades of the building L are topped with fists in high relief. This building owes its name to the mural painting of its facades, panels and alfardas. The design of the talud-tableau is identical to that found in the red temples of the
Tenochtitlan
, also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan, was a large Mexican in what is now the historic center of Mexico City. The exact date of the founding of the city is unclear, but the date 13 March 1325 was chosen in 1925 to celebrate the 600th annivers ...
ceremonial enclosure.

*
Coatepantli
Coatepantli is a Nahuatl word meaning "wall of serpents". It comes from the words ''coatl'' meaning serpent and ''tepantli'' meaning wall. It is an architectural Motif (visual arts), motifLeonardo López Luján, Alfredo López Austin"El coatepantl ...
. It means "wall of snakes" and it is a construction that framed the space that connects with the north causeway towards
Tepeyac
Tepeyac or the Hill of Tepeyac, historically known by the names Tepeyacac and Tepeaquilla, is located inside Gustavo A. Madero, D.F., Gustavo A. Madero, the northernmost ''Alcaldía'' or borough of Mexico City. According to the Catholic traditio ...
.
* Altar Tzompantli (Temple). It is characterized by a glyph at the top of the southern alfarda. In this temple were located skulls of decapitated perforated by the parietals.

* Altar D1. It is located in front of the north entrance of
Coatepantli
Coatepantli is a Nahuatl word meaning "wall of serpents". It comes from the words ''coatl'' meaning serpent and ''tepantli'' meaning wall. It is an architectural Motif (visual arts), motifLeonardo López Luján, Alfredo López Austin"El coatepantl ...
, and reduced access to the north courtyard.
* Temples I and J. Buildings joined by a huge platform, of which only the western half has been discovered. Temple I is the only building built entirely with pink quarry ashlery, like partitions. Building J shows similar but smaller features.
* Lovers of Tlatelolco. There was found a burial of 54 people with their respective offerings, they were part of many more considered the victims of the war of year 1473 between Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco. Representative of these 54 people is this couple being him 55 years old and she 35 years old. As they found themselves hugged they were called "The Lovers of Tlatelolco".
The archaeological finds of Tlatelolco
A look at the human sacrifices in Tlatelolco

Archaeological excavations and research have been able to explain why there were many childhood remains inside a particular temple in Tlatelolco.
Due to a famine and a serious outbreak of disease, which has not been clarified so far, “in the years 1454-1457 hundreds of children were sacrificed to the God Tlaloque (which is a group of gods with small bodies) in Tlatelolco”.
Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of the wind, was considered one of the Tlaloque, and served as the power that blew obstacles from the way to give way to the rain. Rain nourishes the Earth and washes evil and disease. Interestingly, Tlaloque was also known to be the pattern of disease. Thus, the tlaloques are related to these two contrasting forces.
Osteopathological and dental pathological tests made of remains of children sacrificed in Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco, many of them were children whose health conditions were poor to varying degrees.
One theory of why children were chosen to be sacrificed in the ritual is that they were children who contracted the disease during the famine and were selected to supplant the dual powers of Tlaloque. It is also believed that because of their size, children were often selected to personify the small deities represented in Tlaloque figures. (De La Cruz, González‐Oliver et al, 524)
The above is not the only theory that has been studied, as it has also been proposed that children were chosen as victims of sacrifices, because their youth provided them with purity to properly communicate with the gods and obtain their favor (López Austin 1984, Vol.1: 324).
[López Austin, A. 1984. ''Cuerpo humano e ideología''. Vol. 1. Mexico City: National Autonomous University of Mexico.] In addition, Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl was a male deity, and therefore it has been found a greater number of remains of men, as it was believed that the sacrificed men personified better the representation of the divine that women offered. (De La Cruz, González‐Oliver et al, 524)
Offerings
In Tlatelolco, the burials that have been found have demonstrated a great diversity in the form and customs with which the deceased were buried.
It has been found that they differ from each other in terms of the number and quality of the pieces that have been found in them. Ceramic objects consist mainly of dishes, crockery, pots and figurines.
[Sánchez, Carlos Serrano, and Sergio López Alonso. “Algunos datos sobre la funeraria entre los tlatelolcas prehispánicos”. ''B.B.A.A.''
Boletín Bibliográfico de Antropología Americana'' 35.1 (1972): 47–60. Web.'']
In the archaeological site and its surroundings a large number of children's burials have been found, in which researchers have found the widespread tradition of performing burials with ceramic objects that were most likely used as instruments of play by the deceased child, among the most common play objects that have been found are clay marbles, ceramic figures with animal shapes, and personal objects of the deceased such as vessels or small knives of obsidian.
An interesting fact is the existence of offerings consisting of human bones. There are three burial sites representing three stages of life. In the first, a juvenile left radius for a child burial; an adult radius for an adult burial; and a more older, left, radius.
Discovery of mass grave

On 10 February 2009, INAH archaeologists announced the discovery of a
mass grave
A mass grave is a grave containing multiple human corpses, which may or may Unidentified decedent, not be identified prior to burial. The United Nations has defined a criminal mass grave as a burial site containing three or more victims of exec ...
containing forty-nine human skeletons, laid out in neat lines on their backs, with their arms crossed and wrapped in
maguey
Maguey may refer to various American plants:
* Genus ''Agave'', especially
** Species ''Agave americana
''Agave americana'', commonly known as the century plant, maguey, or American aloe, is a flowering plant species belonging to the family Asp ...
leaves.
The archaeologists located the skeletons in a 13-by-32-foot (four-by-10-meter) burial site as they took part in a search for a palace complex at the Tlatelolco site. The grave was determined to be from the period of the Spanish conquest.
The remains found include those of forty-five young adults, two children, a teenager, and an elderly person wearing a ring that potentially signifies a higher status.
Most of the young men were tall, and several had broken bones that had healed, characteristics of
warrior
A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste.
History
...
s.
The team expects to locate at least 50 additional bodies.
The grave contained evidence both of Aztec rituals, such as offerings of
incense
Incense is an aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremonial reasons. It ...
and
animal sacrifice
Animal sacrifice is the ritual killing and offering of animals, usually as part of a religious ritual or to appease or maintain favour with a deity. Animal sacrifices were common throughout Europe and the Ancient Near East until the spread of Chris ...
, and Spanish elements, such as buttons and a bit of glass.
Salvador Guilliem, head of the site for the governmental archaeology institute, expressed his astonishment at the find:
"We were completely taken by surprise. We didn't expect to find this massive funeral complex."
He said that it was likely that the indigenous people buried in this grave died while fighting the invading Spanish. They may also have died due to infectious diseases, such as the
hemorrhagic fever
Viral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) are a diverse group of diseases. "Viral" means a health problem caused by infection from a virus, " hemorrhagic" means to bleed, and "fever" means an unusually high body temperature. Bleeding and fever are comm ...
epidemics in 1545 and 1576, which caused the deaths of a large proportion of the native population.
Susan Gillespie of the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preem ...
suggested an alternative theory: that the men may have been held as prisoners by the Spanish for some time and executed later.
The site differs from most other
Spanish conquest
The Spanish Empire, sometimes referred to as the Hispanic Monarchy or the Catholic Monarchy, was a colonial empire that existed between 1492 and 1976. In conjunction with the Portuguese Empire, it ushered in the European Age of Discovery. It ...
-era graves in the area, because of the manner in which the bodies were buried. The burial was similar to those according to
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
customs of the time. This is in contrast to the thousands of graves found in other Aztec cities, where bodies were found ''en masse'' without ritual arrangement.
Guilliem added: "It is a mass grave, but they were very carefully buried."
Ceramics

Since ancient times art has been a tool among peoples to document the cultural and political pulse of a society. In the case of Tlatelolco, there was a lot of movement and interaction among the indigenous peoples who occupied the region, thanks to this, the design in the ceramic artifacts reveals unique styles of some tribes or geographic regions that influenced the life of the Tlatelolcan society due to its importance as a commercial center and interchange between different cultures, and we can observe the evolution of ceramic utensils from the beginning of the city to the occupation by the Spanish colonizers.
"Chichimeca pottery was a precursor to Aztec and continued in the latter without radical changes of style, although of course some alterations arose over time. Clay vessels, decorated with a simple linear pattern of black color on a background color of leather, or orange show four distinct phases, called, by the places in which most specimens have been found, styles of Colhuacan, of Tenayuca, Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco. Vaillant managed to determine his Chronology by means of a skilful combination.”
Tenochtitlan's style began around 1400, that of Tlatelolco around 1450. In the first half of the 15th century, this Aztec pottery, in the strict sense, is mostly presented in Texcoco and the dependent towns of it, because this city was in those days in full apogee under the scepter of Nezahualcóyotl. Both styles were extended from this date throughout the valley of Mexico, which formed a political and cultural unit since the establishment of the tripartite League of Tenochtitlan-Texcoco-Tlatelolco, the same alliance that generated the evolution in ceramics that were manufactured in the region, until finally reaching a style in which the influence of Spanish models is clearly perceived. These examples show once again how the most insignificant and fragile part of man's cultural heritage can play an important role as a witness in the verification of historical facts and in supporting written traditions.
See also
*
Tlatelolco (altepetl)
Tlatelolco ( , ) (also called Mexico Tlatelolco) was a pre-Columbian altepetl, or city-state, in the Valley of Mexico. Its inhabitants, known as the ''Tlatelolca'', were part of the Mexica, a Nahuatl-speaking people who arrived in what is now ce ...
*
Plaza de las Tres Culturas
The Plaza de las Tres Culturas ("The Three Cultures square") is the main square within the Tlatelolco neighborhood of Mexico City. The name "Three Cultures" is in recognition of the three periods of Mexican history reflected by buildings in ...
References
External links
Tres Culturas
{{Coord, 19, 27, 3.9, N, 99, 08, 15, W, source:eswiki_region:MX, display=title
2009 archaeological discoveries
Archaeological sites in Mexico City
Aztec sites
Former populated places in Mexico
Mass graves in Mexico
.
Valley of Mexico
Indigenous peoples in Mexico City
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