Archaeologica.org

Ancient pyramid found in Mexico

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient pyramid buried under a hill on the outskirts of Mexico City.
The pyramid is said to be 1,500 years old and was built by the same ancient people who constructed the Teotihuacan complex, known as the City of the Gods.


Measuring 150m (492 feet) on each of its four sides, the 18-metre (59-foot) tall pyramid was carved out on a natural hillside around 500 AD.

It was abandoned in about 800 AD, when the Teotihuacan culture collapsed for unknown reasons.

Cultural legacy

"When they first saw us digging there, the local people just couldn't believe there was a pyramid," archaeologist Jesus Sanchez said, who has been exploring the site since 2004.

The same ancient people are believed to have built Teotihuacan

"It was only when the slopes and shapes of the pyramid, the floors with altars were found, that they finally believed us. The majority of the people now feel happy and proud, and have helped out a lot in protecting the relics," he added.

Iztapalapa hillside, known as Hill of the Star, overlooks one of Mexico City's poorest and most dangerous neighbourhoods.

Local people began re-enacting the Passion of Christ there in 1833, to give thanks for divine protection during a cholera epidemic - a ritual which now draws as many as a million spectators every year.

The site will not be fully explored because it is now considered a religious centre in its own right, said Mr Sanchez of the National Institute of Anthropology and History.

"Both the pre-Hispanic structure and the Holy Week rituals are part of our cultural legacy, so we have to look for a way to protect both cultural values."

The site will not be fully explored because it is now considered a religious centre in its own right, said Mr Sanchez of the National Institute of Anthropology and History

And once again, religion gets in the way of science and knowledge!

And once again, religion gets in the way of science and knowledge!

as far as i am concerned, let them explore the site. christianity does not need any particular site nor is any particular site supposed to be holy. the person is to be holy thus we are not tied to one building nor one piece of ground solet them explore to their hearts content.

I beg your pardon! Obviously you haven't been to Israel or watched the news during Holy Week. Those pilgrims are swarming "holy sites" like ants at a picnic. In fact, they go bonkers over places that are only "holy" because someone several hundred years ago, said that is the place is where something or other happened. So the Christians built a church over it and now everybody thinks that if they visit they will get forgiven for their hypocrisy, like Constantine on his deathbed.

LOL. Absolutely right, Leona.

Do you know that most of the so-called Christian shrines in Israel were identified by Constantine's mother? After he became Emperor his mom went to Palestine and wanted to be shown all the sites which were important to early christians. Naturally the Imperial tour guides took her to see whatever she wanted because who is going to tell the Emperor's mother that those places didn't exist?

Even if they had existed at one time the Romans had burned the whole country to the ground twice (in AD 70 and 135) since Jesus' alleged time, levelled Jerusalem and built a new, Roman city on the site.

Constantine's mommy. Now THERE'S a woman who knew what it meant to have power. Excuse me while I go in the corner and lick my envy wounds.

The Barbara Bush of her generation!