Teotihuacan
AA-2026-892D5E
On the image
Tiny figures dot the summit of the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan, having completed the ascent in the 1970s. This was how one communed with ancient civilisations: by climbing the biggest thing they left behind, often under the direct sun. The historical record suggests the builders did not consider future tourist comfort.
The winding road leading to such a monumental undertaking promised a dusty journey. Travellers, no doubt equipped with sensible shoes and perhaps a thermos, believed that proximity to old stones somehow imbued them with a deeper understanding. They mostly learned that gravity still applied, even to the spiritually curious.
The historian's note
This photograph depicts the Pyramid of the Sun, a prominent structure at the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan, located northeast of Mexico City. Constructed around 200 CE, it is the largest building in Teotihuacan and one of the largest in Mesoamerica, central to the city's religious and ceremonial life.
Captured in the 1970s, the image shows the pyramid in a state of partial excavation and conservation, with visitors allowed to climb to its summit. This period saw increased tourism to major archaeological sites, reflecting a growing public interest in ancient cultures. The direct access facilitated a tangible connection for tourists with the monumental scale of Teotihuacan's architecture.
Teotihuacan was a significant urban centre, flourishing between 100 BCE and 650 CE, and its influence extended throughout Mesoamerica. The Pyramid of the Sun remains a key symbol of its advanced civilisation and engineering.
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Teotihuacan Pyramid of the Sun, Mexico, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-892D5E. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/teotihuacan-pyramid-of-the-sun-mexico-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026892D5E,
title = {Teotihuacan Pyramid of the Sun, Mexico, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-892D5E},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/teotihuacan-pyramid-of-the-sun-mexico-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Teotihuacan Pyramid of the Sun, Mexico, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-892D5E UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/teotihuacan-pyramid-of-the-sun-mexico-1970s ER -
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