Pyramids

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We had a trip to the ruin of Teotihuacan at the north east of Mexico City by around one hour driving.  The pyramids of the ruin are as large as the ones in Egypt.  The ancient city of Teotihuacan was built in the BC 2nd century and suddenly disappeared in the AD 8th century.  This ruin has its importance because it existed before the civilization of Aztecs, Maya and Inca.  Visiting here was the major target in this trip to Mexico.


 The Solar Pyramid (right) and the Lunar Pyramid (remote and against a mountain) are seen from the south end of the ruin.


I started walking from the end of the ruin. At this end, I climbed a smaller pyramid or Templo de Quetzalcoatl.









The head of Quetzalcoatl, a God.  This God is also important in Aztecs.








The Solar Pyramid.  The steps are steep and the pyramid was constructed strongly.









The Lunar Pyramid seen from the top of the Solar Pyramid.  The broad plain is surrounding the ruin.









Let us think about the history of human beings, and human beings in the continent of America.  The first human beings were born in Africa about 7 million years ago.  They spread to the continent of Eurasia.  Some of the Mongoloids moved to the continent of America in BC 20 thousand by crossing the narrow land connecting Eurasia and America.  The land was separated by a sea to form the Bering Strait.  The people were moving to the south and reached the end of South America in BC 10 thousand.  No interaction is assumed between America and other world until Vikings reached to the North America in AD 1000 and Columbus and other Europeans came in the 15 century.  People in the continent of America thus have their own independent history for a long time.


Teotihuacan is the oldest civilizations in America before Maya, Aztecs and Inca together with Monte Alban.

Scientists say that the basin of Teotihuacan was the most populated place in the world: approximately 200 thousand people are assumed to have lived there in AD 4 century.  Considering the fact that there were few cities in the world where people more than 20 thousand lived, we can understand the significance of the Teotihuacan civilization in the history of human beings.  The civilizations of Teotihuacan and Monte Alaban declined suddenly in AD 8 to 9 centuries   After them, the Maya, Aztecs and Inca civilizations flourished until they were conquered by Spanish in AD 16 century.


I am now acquiring knowledge about the history in the Continents of America, but I feel something confused because it is extremely different from the history in Eurasia.  I would like to think more as I am traveling in Central and South America in near future.  Also I like to know why North America did not have cities with such “civilization.” 


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