Dedicatory burial/offering complexes at the Moon Pyramid, Teotihuacan: A preliminary report of 1998-2004 explorations

Saburo Sugiyamaa, Leonardo López Luján

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

52 Scopus citations

Abstract

A series of highly elaborated burial/offering complexes have been discovered recently in association with seven superimposed monumental constructions at the Moon Pyramid. The archaeological contexts excavated during the past seven years indicate that these dedicatory complexes were symbols of a state religious ideology and communicated sociopolitical information on behalf of ruling elites. Rich artifacts made of obsidian, greenstone, shell, pyrite, ceramics, wood, and textile, as well as abundant skeletal remains of sacrificed animals and human beings, stand out in these unusual ritual deposits. Many of the offerings possess strong connotations of warfare and ritual sacrifice. After describing the five burial/offering complexes and discussing their possible function and religious significance, we conclude that, when the expanding Teotihuacan state orchestrated these monumental constructions, the most important ritual paraphernalia was buried in the new enlargement programs to express the ideology of sacred rulership.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)127-146
Number of pages20
JournalAncient Mesoamerica
Volume18
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2007
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)

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