Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan was the most important city in all of ancient Mesoamerican history. Despite almost 200 years of archaeology there, there’s a whole lot we don’t understand. Join Ed for a discussion of what we know – and still don’t know – about Teotihuacan.
Another great episode. Thanks for shedding more light on the complex relationship between tikal and Teotihuacan.
I do have an idea for a future episode: volcanic eruptions and the ‘hiatus’ between early and late classic periods. I read a paper from Geology magazine 2017 that lists the El Chichon eruption in 540 as simultaneous to and perhaps causitive of the hiatus. But there was another volcano in 536 that caused a worldwide drop in temperature that may have also contributed.
And it appears that as usual, a climate catastrophe was the disruptive spark for social tensions that exacerbated the climate problem.
Also: You mentioned a recent trip to cambodia. This year I’ve become re-obsessed with Bantaey Chhmar near the Thai border after it dawned on me that the platforms giving visitors eye level views of the central face towers represent 3 or 4 meters of undisturbed rubble all around the intact bases of the face towers. Intact face towers prove the tower bases are also intact. And the fallen walls from all the bas reliefs are even larger than those of Bayon, and they’re all probably still in place right where they fell. It may turn out to be as spectacular as Bayon itself and there may be many many exquisite carvings in great condition just waiting to be uncovered.
Hi David,
Thanks for the good ideas! The volcano episode would take a lot of research on my part, but I’ll write it on my suggested topics list and get to it one of these days. I haven’t been to Bantaey Chmer, thanks for telling me about it. Happy Holidays! Ed
Thank you for the fascinating discussion of Teotihuacan and its significance. it is possible that its expansion as you described could have included maritime routes? With its influence extending as far as the mouth of the Rio Grande or possibly the Mississippi and Poverty Point? Do any of the chronologies overlap? Thanks again. Allen
Certainly possible, but evidence is lacking. Poverty Point was centuries before. We have lots of Teotihuacan murals, but no boat depictions. Lastly, we’d expect big Teo-owned ports if maritime routes were significant, but we have none that I know of.