Temple of the ancient Wind God discovered in Mexico City
A circular platform dedicated to worship of Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec God of Wind, along with eight sets of human remains were found by archaeologists at site in Tlatelolco area of Mexico City. The structure is said to date more than 650 years.
The unearthed platform (by Eduardo Verdugo)
The ancient cult practice structure was found at a site discovered two years ago when a mid-20th-century supermarket was demolished. Then archaeologists found 30 human skeletons. Now a circular platform measuring 11 meters in diameter and 1.2 meters in height was unearthed. The site is believed to have been built to worship the god of wind, Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl, the God of Wind, by the Aztec Mexica-Tlatelolca people. The majority of the temple's original white stucco remains intact.
Close-up of the platform (by Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia)
The temple lies within the perimeter of a large ceremonial site in the capital's Tlatelolco neighbourhood, though much of that perimeter presently covered by the urban landscape. According to the archaeologists of the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History (Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia) the temple was constructed in several phases, the first of which occurred prior to the establishment of the city-state of Tlatelolca in 1337 AD. Subsequent layers were then added between 1376 and 1417, with a final stage of development occurring around 1427. Modern-day Mexico City covers several different pre-Hispanic cities, including Tlatelolco and its rival Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan was a centre of political power while Tlatelolco dedicated itself to commerce. Eventually Tenochtitlan took control of Tlatelolco. When the Spanish and their local allies began conquering Tenochtitlan, residents of that city withdrew to Tlatelolco to continue their fight. Thus Tlatelolco became the last site of resistance against the Spanish in the area of present Mexico City.
(after The Guardian, CTV News, Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia & Eduardo Verdugo)
4 December 2016 by	Archaeo Feed
Categories:	Mesoamerica
Taggs:	Aztecs CTV News Eduardo Verdugo Ehecatl-Quetzalcoatl God of Wind Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History Mexico City Spanish Tenochtitlan The Guardian Tlatelolco
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