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Teotihuacán de Arista in Teotihuacán, Mexico State, Mexico — The Central Highlands (North America)
 

The Meaning of the Pyramid of the Sun

 
 
The Meaning of the Pyramid of the Sun Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, December 2, 2017
1. The Meaning of the Pyramid of the Sun Marker
Inscription.
Significado del la Pirámide del Sol
Aunque antes se creía que esta pirámide fue la base de un gran templo dedicado a un dios relacionado con el Sol, el desarollo de las investigaciones arqueológicas ha sugerido una interpretación sobre su significado religioso, que propone que la divinidad venerada en este edificio fue el dios del agua: Tlaloc.

Las evidencias que apoyan esta interpretación son, entre otras, la existencia de un canal de 3 metros de ancho que circunda en su base a la Pirámide, dándole el significado de Altepetl o Cerro de Agua; la existencia de enterramientos de niños pequeños en las esquinas del edificio, mismos que son característicos de ofrendas dedicadas al del agua, además de la presencia de una cueva debajo de la pirámide.

Las cuevas tienen un doble significado en el pensamiento prehispánico: son vida y muerte. Por un lado son lugares relacionados con Tlaloc, identficados como matrices que dan vida y, por otro, son la entrada al mundo de los muertos. Los dioses que simbolizan estos aspectos del pensamiento prehispánico ocupan el espacio central, mismo que Tlaloc ocupa en esta pirámide o montaña sagrada.

Pie de dibujos:
Antes de la llegada de los españoles, el Atlepetl (atl - agua, tepetl - cerro) hacía referencia a una población sobre un cerro
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y localizada cerca de una fuente de agua, pero también a un territorio político y una forma de gobierno.

Puntos donde fueron encontrados entierros de niños pequeños.

La cueva localizada bajo la pirámide asemeja una flor de cuatro pétalos, la cual es uno de los símbolos recurrentes de Teotihuacan y significaba los cuatro rumbos y el centro.

Vista aérea de la cueva

Vasijas teotihuacanos

Náhuatl:
Ipan in tlen omicuilo ipampa in xihuitl in tlen itoca siglo XVI, cuali mixmati mach inih teocalli cuali catca ipan ce hueyi teopantli in tlen monequia ipampa ce teotl in tlen in Tonatiuh moteochihuaya. Ihuan in yancuic ixtlamanchiliztli axan quixpantia mach in teotl in aquin ipampa moteochihuaya oya in Tlaloc, inin teotl catca pampa in atl.

Mochi in tlen cuali tlapalehuia in tlen axan mitohua in tlen occe quitoznequi, ipampa in tlen onca ce apamitl in tlen quipiya 3 m. in tlen patlahuac tacha, in tlen quiyehualohua itzintla inin teocalli, ihuan ohquion mate quitoznequi Altepetl. Ihuan in quenin onca in mihcatoca in cocone inanacaztla in caltepamitl, mochi inin cuali motlaliliaya ipampa in teotl in atl, ihuan mochi onca ce oztoc icxitla in teocalli.

In oztome cuali quitoznequi çan ome itlamachiliz in tlen mochi quipiaya intlaneltoquiliz in tlatlaca in tlen cachto catca in cuac aymo acia in caxtiltlatlaca. Mochi inin mocetilia
The Meaning of the Pyramid of the Sun Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By J. Makali Bruton, December 2, 2017
2. The Meaning of the Pyramid of the Sun Marker
The marker is here at the southeast corner of the pyramid, on the path towards the site's museum.
in nemilizcayotl ihuan in miquilizcayotl. Noço, occehcan mohta in quenin mocetilla, in teotlachihualiztli ipampa in Tlaloc, in tlen mixpantia in quenin temacohua in nemiliztli, ihuan mochi in occehcan, cuali mohta in canin onca in mimihca calaquiliztli. In teteo in tlen mixtlachia in tlen cachto tlaneltoquiliz catca in cuac ayamo nican acia in caxtiltlaca, mochi inin cuali yolotlamachiliztli catca, in quenin nican in Tlaloc onca ipan in Teocalli, onoço ipan in teotepetl.

English:
The Meaning of the Pyramid of the Sun
Given accounts written in the sixteenth century, it was believed that this pyramid functioned as a base for a large temple dedicated to the sun (considered a deity). The new interpretation proposes that the god worshiped in this building was the water deity, Tlaloc.

Evidence supporting this interpretation includes the existence of a ten-foot wide moat which surrounds the Pyramid's base, giving it the meaning of “Altepeti” (Water Hil, the presence of child burials at the building's corners, (characteristic of offerings to the water god), and a cave found beneath the pyramid.

Caves have the two-fold meaning in the pre-Hispanic cosmic vision of ife and death. Indeed, on the one hand, they bare (sic, bear) symbolic relation to Tlaloc, interpreted as life-giving wombs, and, on the other, represent entrances
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to the world of the dead. The gods who symbolize these aspects of the pre-Hispanic cosmic vision occupy the central place as Tlaloc in this pyramid or sacred mountain.

Captions:
Before the arrival of the Spaniards, the Atlepetl (atl - water, tepetl - hill) referred to a population on a hill and located near a water source, but also a political territory and a form of government.

Points where burials of small children were found.

The cave located under the pyramid resembles a flower with four petals, which is one of the recurring symbols of Teotihuacan and signified the four directions and the center.

Aerial view of the cave

Clay vessels from Teotihuacan
 
Erected by Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH).
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & ArchaeologyMan-Made FeaturesNative Americans.
 
Location. 19° 41.464′ N, 98° 50.57′ W. Marker is in Teotihuacán de Arista, Estado de Mexico (Mexico State), in Teotihuacán. Marker can be reached from Calle Paloma just west of Calle Tuxpan. This marker is along the southern base of the Pyramid of the Sun at the Teotihuacan Archaeological Site, at the southeast corner of the pyramid. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Teotihuacán de Arista MEX 55880, Mexico. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Importance of the Pyramid of the Sun (within shouting distance of this marker); Teotihuacan (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); Construction Systems of the Pyramid of the Sun (about 90 meters away); Teotihuacan After Its Abandonment (about 150 meters away); Pyramid of the Sun (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); a different marker also named The Meaning of the Pyramid of the Sun (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); A Ceremonial Incense Burner (approx. 0.3 kilometers away); a different marker also named The Importance of the Pyramid of the Sun (approx. 0.3 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Teotihuacán de Arista.
 
Regarding The Meaning of the Pyramid of the Sun. This marker's text is very similar to another marker with the same name along the pyramid's western base, although it includes more illustrations.
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on December 16, 2017. It was originally submitted on December 16, 2017, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. This page has been viewed 177 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on December 16, 2017, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana.

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May. 3, 2024