The Templo Mayor (commonly known by this Spanish name, meaning "Great Temple") was the main temple of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan (modern Mexico City). Aztec is a term used to refer to certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who achieved political There are some towns in Mexico which are spelled "Tenochtitlán" like San Lorenzo Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México DF, México or simply Méjico) is the Capital city of Mexico The temple rose 60 m (197 ft) above the city's ritual precinct, surmounted by dual shrines to the deities Huitzilopochtli (god of war and sun) and Tlaloc (god of rain and fertility). In Aztec mythology, Huitzilopochtli, also spelled Uitzilopochtli (Huitzilopōchtli wi For the fictional character from the Legends of Dune books see Titan (Dune#Tlaloc.
It was mostly destroyed in 1521 after the conquest of the Aztec empire by the Spanish conquistadores under the leadership of Hernán Cortés. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. This article is about the Spanish explorer soldiers of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuriesfor other uses see Conquistador (disambiguation A Conquistador Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro 1st Marqués del Valle de Oaxaca ( 1485&ndash December 2, Remains of the lower portions of the temple complex have been discovered by modern archaeologists buried under a portion of modern Mexico City. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos
Numerous smaller buildings and platforms associated with the temple formed a closely-situated complex around its base. A stucco relief depicting a tzompantli, or "skull rack", decorated one platform leading to the temple. Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water A tzompantli is a type of wooden rack or palisade documented in several Mesoamerican civilizations which was used for the public display of human Skulls typically
The temple was enlarged several times, and for the last time in 1487.
The Templo Mayor was excavated between 1978 and 1987 in a major project directed by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma. Eduardo Matos Moctezuma (born December 11, 1940) is a prominent Mexican archaeologist
References
- Díaz del Castillo, Bernal [1632] (1963). Bernal Díaz del Castillo (1496 &ndash 1584 was a Conquistador, who wrote an eyewitness account of the conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards under Hernán The Conquest of New Spain, J.M. Cohen (trans. Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España (The Truthful History of the Conquest of New Spain is the first-person narrative of Bernal Díaz del Castillo J M (John Michael Cohen (February 51903 - July 19 1989 was a prolific translator (into English) of European literature ), 6th printing (1973), Penguin Classics, Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Books. Penguin Books is a British Publisher founded in 1935 by Allen Lane. ISBN 0-14-044123-9. OCLC 162351797. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose
- Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo (1988). Eduardo Matos Moctezuma (born December 11, 1940) is a prominent Mexican archaeologist The Great Temple of the Aztecs: Treasures of Tenochtitlan, Doris Heyden (trans. Doris Heyden (née Heydenreich; June 2, 1905 – September 25, 2005) was a prominent scholar of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican ), New Aspects of Antiquity series, New York: Thames & Hudson. Thames & Hudson (also Thames and Hudson and sometimes T&H for brevity are a Publisher, especially of Art and Illustrated Books ISBN 0-500-39024-X. OCLC 17968786. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose
- Matos Moctezuma, Eduardo (1998). Eduardo Matos Moctezuma (born December 11, 1940) is a prominent Mexican archaeologist Vida y muerte en el Templo Mayor, 3rd edition, México D. F. : Fondo de Cultura Económica. Fondo de Cultura Económica ( FCE, Fondo) is the most important Publishing house in Mexico and one of the most important ones in Latin America ISBN 968-16-5712-8. OCLC 40997904. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose (Spanish)
- Oficina de la Presidencia de la República, México (2008-06-08). 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 68 - The Roman Senate accepts emperor Galba. 536 - St Silverius becomes Pope (probable "Most Important Offering in Past 30 Years Discovered in Great Temple". Press release. A news release, media release, press release or press statement is a written or recorded Communication directed at members of the News Retrieved on 2008-06-10. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1190 - Third Crusade: Frederick I Barbarossa drowns in the Sally River while leading an army to Jerusalem
Gallery
 Carving of Mayahuel at the Templo Mayor site's museum |  Disk depicting a dismembered Coyolxauhqui which was found during construction in 1978 in Mexico City. Mayahuel is the female divinity associated with the Maguey plant among cultures of central Mexico in the Postclassic era of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican chronology Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Mexico City (in Spanish: Ciudad de México, México DF, México or simply Méjico) is the Capital city of Mexico Its discovery led to the excavation of the Templo Mayor. |  Scale models of chinampas used by the Aztecs in the lakes surrounding Tenochititlan on display at the museum of the Templo Mayor. Chinampa is a term describing a method of ancient Mesoamerican agriculture which used small Rectangle -shaped areas of Fertile Arable land |  Model of the Aztec island city of Tenochtitlan outside of the Templo Mayor in Mexico City |
 View of Templo Mayor ruins in Mexico City |  View of ruins of the "Eagle" building of the Templo Mayor complex. The roof is there to protect the remains of paintings that are inside. |  View of Eagle building and building A in the Templo Mayor complex. The ruins of the main temple are in the background. |  Inside the protected area of the Eagle Building of the Templo Mayor complex in Mexico City. Remants of the original paint can still be seen. |
 Close up of bas reliefs of eagle warriors in the Eagle building of the Templo Mayor complex. Some of the original paint can still be seen. |  View of the ruins of the main temple of the Templo Mayor complex. The main city cathedral is visible just behind the ruins and the top of the Torre Latino is visible in the background. |  Scale model of the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan showing the various stages as it was enlarged over time. |  Scale model of downtown modern Mexico City. In the center back is the Cathedral. The Zocalo (main plaza) is immediately to the left of the cathedral. The Templo Mayor site is at the 4 o'clock position from the cathedral. |
 Wall display of stone masks found at the Templo Mayor site on display at the Templo Mayor museum in Mexico City. |  Stone blades called "pederales" on display at the museum of the Templo Mayor in Mexico City. These blades were created for ritual uses, including human sacrifice and often decorated with faces. |  Stone box and contents found at the Templo Mayor in Mexico City. This was only one of the many offerings found here. |
External links
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