In Mexico it is located Great Pyramid of Cholulaalso known as the Great Pyramid of Tepanapa, a structure built by man of 2000 years ago which went completely unnoticed by the Spanish army when it invaded these lands in 1519, an impressive oversight considering that it is the largest pyramid on Earth, but how did they miss it? Quite simply, she is hidden inside a hill.
The Cholula massacre was one of the most notorious exploits of the conquistador Hernán Cortés who stormed the city of Cholula on October 12, 1519, with Cortés’s army arriving anticipating a fight, but encountered a sacred city believed to be home to of a sacred pyramid for every day of the year, structures built to put divine protection on the city; when 3,000 people (equal to 10 percent of the city’s population) were killed, the numerous pyramids became the object of looting, and after claiming the numerous religious artifacts, the Spaniards settled in Cholula and began to erect their own churches.
One of these, theIglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remediosawas to become – effectively – a hat, after being unknowingly placed on top of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, and with its 66 meters (216 feet) high and 450 meters (1,475 feet) wide, it is the largest pyramid in the world, with a volume that is almost double that of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Known as Tlachihualtepetl (“man-made mountain”), the pyramid actually boasts the longest human occupation of any building, aided by the hood of its Spanish church, a noble claim for the largest monument ever built by man in Mesoamerica.
The history of the construction of the Great Pyramid of Cholula
The Great Pyramid of Cholula was built in four main construction phases, each stylistically unique but made without hiding the constructions of the past, which some expect was a deliberate move to preserve its history; the pyramid was also an important sanctuary dedicated to the cult of the mountain and a deity of rain until the Spanish conquest.
“In Cholula there was an artificial hill called Tlachihualtepetl. It was so called because it is said that the Giants built it to ascend to heaven; today it is in ruins. This hill was very sanctified; there was the usual and incessant adoration, prayers, great sacrifices, offerings and the killing of men ”.
the archaeologist and author Geoffrey McCafferty reports that Durán Diego wrote in The Book of the Gods and Rites and the Ancient Calendar [1576-1579].
As for how the huge pyramid was buried, we still don’t know with absolute certainty. One theory is that the dizzying structure was lost due to foliage after a long period of disuse, possibly due to neglect due to volcanic activity or flooding. Another is that it was buried on purpose by the Aztecs in preparation for the conqueror’s arrival. One way or another, by the time Cortés and his men arrived, the largest pyramid in the world had turned into a compelling hill and, evidently, worthy of a church. The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios still sits atop the Tlachihualtepetl today.
However, it won’t go unnoticed for long.
“The archaeological significance of the pyramid was soon discovered, however, when the” excavations “in 1535 by the Franciscan priest Toribio de Motolinia recovered” idols “and trumpets of shells from the top of the Great Pyramid while he was erecting a cross”
McCafferty wrote.
In the early 19th century, the German explorer Alexander von Humboldt began archaeological investigations of the site. He called the pyramid “the largest, oldest and most celebrated of all pyramid monuments” in Mexico. In the 1930s, further investigations began to crumble the exterior.
In the 1970s, a series of tunnels extending 8 kilometers (5 miles) in total allowed further access to the interior of the pyramid and to many layers. McCafferty estimates that it contains four construction phases, excluding the smaller extensions and buildings that were eventually engulfed by the later phases of Tlachihualtepetl’s construction.
Building styles included “adobe” bricks made of mud which were extremely resistant to the region’s climate, while other bricks had a mortar veneer and some were finished with plaster. The location of the pyramid also appears to have been carefully selected in the context of its environment, built on a natural spring with an internal chamber that may have acted as an artificial “cave” to be the symbol of a portal to the underworld.
Its cosmological orientation at 24-26 degrees north-west may also have drawn on the summer solstice, explains McCafferty, with the pyramid’s western stairway facing sunset as the temple at its apex took last light on the brightest day. long of the year. We know little about its creation, however, so it’s hard to know how intentional these decisions were and whether they were actually incorporated into the facility’s spiritual practice (but it sure sounds like the golden hour of steroids).
The innermost structure of the pyramid stacking dolls was a square pyramid about 17 meters (56 feet) high. Inside, preserved paintings were discovered depicting an insect-like body with a skeletal head captured in bright colors, “possibly a butterfly in the process of metamorphosis,” McCafferty suggested.
This was enclosed by a second pyramid extending to a height of 35 meters (115 feet) with steps on all sides making it accessible from any direction. Several modifications were built on this, bringing the total height of the pyramids up to 66 meters (217 feet) when the third phase began, extending its base dimensions to 350 meters (1,150 feet) per side. The pyramid was now made up of huge platforms arranged around a central peak.
Notable features later discovered of the pyramid and its many extensions include the Patio Of The Carved Skulls, named after the plaster-covered human skulls that were built into its altar. Inside that altar were the remains of a male and female alongside funerary items, which McCafferty places among the “richest” burials known to Cholula.
Much remains to be learned about the world’s largest pyramid, but the good news is that McCafferty has received funding to continue exploration and investigation of the site, with his website suggesting he returned to Cholula last year. Although IFLscience was unable to ask for comment, we look forward to his findings.
As for the visit of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, tourists are welcome to the historic site, which also houses the UNESCO-listed historic center. Tours can be arranged from Mexico City and will allow you to explore the ruins of Cholula and its underground tunnels.
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