Travel Review: Teotihuacan

Teotihuacan, A Lasting Attraction

A priority for many visitors - even if they are only staying one or two nights in Mexico City - is going to Teotihuacán, the most visited of Mexico's archeological sites.

Visitors will find these pyramids to be some of the most striking in Mexico, and within easy reach of the city. A few with New Age leanings are interested in picking up energy and vibes of various natures - especially on the spring equinox when the whole area (about 8 square miles) is overrun by white-clad enthusiasts of myriad sects and persuasions.

Whatever your reason for visiting, I have yet to meet someone who is left indifferent at the sight of this splendid archeological zone, which contains the huge Pirámide del Sol, divided from the ornate Templo de Quetzalcóatl by the majestic Calzada de los Muertos (Avenue of the Dead).

One thing that can mar your visit is underestimating the heat and exposure of the area. Many people do - luckily you can buy hats and bottles of cold water and ice creams in at least two of the five entrances.

The Pyramid of the Sun, said to be the site's oldest structure and the third largest pyramid in the world, is the highest at 215 feet. It's actually an easier climb than the Pyramid of the Moon, which has steeper steps and gets tricky at the top, so may not be advisable for those with unsure footing or small children.

You may begin to feel the altitude when you make the ascent, but as long as you remember it is not a race and know when to stop and rest, it's an exhilarating and worthwhile climb, both for the view and the sense of achievement.

Try to arrive as early as possible. The site opens at 7 a.m. which gives you plenty of time to explore before the midday sun gets too strong (comfortable shoes are a must). A comfortable, small backpack is useful for holding a camera, extra film, guidebook and bottle(s) of water. That way your hands are free to hold the cable handrails, or control your balance.

A hat is a must, and one that fits on well that you don't have to clutch if there is a gust of wind. Sun block is also essential for the fair skinned, and you won't regret taking a light but long-sleeved shirt to protect your arms. The best place to start is the Temple of Quetzalcóatl and Tlaloc (the rectangular faced rain god), to the right as you approach the complex, walking up the Calzada to the two pyramids.

At 37 pesos, the entrance fee is very reasonable, although you should remember to keep your admission tickets with you if you leave the site for the parking lots. This includes everything in the zone, including 2 museums. It's a good place for children (who are free under age 13) once they are steady on their feet and have a modicum of patience. Facilities are fine, with trash cans and clean-enough restrooms, often with toilet paper.

There are signposts with information in Spanish and English, although it was obviously written by academic experts who would have no truck with the frivolous interests of humble tourists. Consequently the dry-as-dust texts raise more questions than they answer.

The majority of visitors to the pyramids of Teotihuacán are surprised to find that little is known about the society that inhabited the ancient city and that no one knows what it was originally called. The Pyramid of the Sun is a made-up name. The inhabitants are generally called the Teotihuacanos, and the name Teotihuacán is what the Aztecs called it, to mean, more or less, “place where the gods were made.”

No one knows why the great city was abandoned and left to ruin at around 600 AD, although there are plenty of theories of course, from famines to fires, marauders and climate change. The lack of firm knowledge can leave you a little deflated when you have inquisitive guests who come from cultures more firmly wed to certainties.

Dr. Jaime Litvak, author of the book “Ancient Mexico” took time to try to answer a few of these questions. He said the most recent theory on the fall of Teotihuacán is that the city lived on the commerce that came from Mesoamerica, and could no longer thrive when other sites, such as those in Oaxaca and Puebla, stopped being good distribution centers.

As for human sacrifice, Litvak said, “We thought at first that this custom was not performed here, but now it seems there were indeed sacrifices. You must remember that the Aztecs were nearly a millennia later, and we know they performed human sacrifices because the Spanish could see them and were witnesses to their practices.”

Dr. Litvak highly recommends, for those interested in the subject, Joyce Kelly's two-volume book The Complete Visitors Guide to Mesoamerica (University of Oklahoma press).

By Barbara Kastelein - reporter for EL UNIVERSAL/The Herald english daily publication

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