Tula, Mexico

Last crawled date: 2 years ago

The Tula site is important to the history of Mesoamerica, especially the central highlands of Mexico, but it is generally overshadowed by its predecessor Teotihuacan and one of its successors, Tenochtitlan. The modern archeological site consists of the ceremonial center of Tula Grande, an area called Tula Chico, The ceremonial center of the city is located on a limestone outcropping, with steep banks on three sides, making it defensible. The main structures of the ceremonial center include two pyramids, including with the atlas figures, two main ball courts and several large buildings, one with a series of columns which faced a large plaza. The main ceremonial area has a number of architectural innovations that indicate societal changes. The major attraction of the site is Pyramid B also called the Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl or of the Morning Star. It is a five-tiered structure similar to the Temple of the Warriors at Chichen Itza. The large central plaza has space for 100,000 people. On three sides, there are long meeting halls with ceilings supported by columns all facing the plaza with over 1000 meters of benches. The architecture indicates a change from rituals performed by only a few people in closed spaces to large ceremonies to be viewed by many. #Tula #MesoAmerican #Native_American #temple #palace #Aztec #Toltec