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Ancient Origins Tour IRAQ

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Mexica

Colorful, stone snake deity head recovered in Mexico City.      Source: LANCIC. UNAM/INAH

Huge, Vibrant Snake Head from the Mexica Era Uncovered in Mexico City

In September 2022, beneath the surface of Mexico City and amidst the tremors of an earthquake, a massive stone-carved snake head emerged, believed to hail from the ancient Tenochtitlan era. Over a...
This ancient Aztec observatory has allowed researchers to discern how the Mexico told time and planned their agricultural calendar. Source: Ben Meissner

Aztec Observatory Temple Reveals Ancient Calendar Secrets

Archaeologists in Mexico have always wondered how sky watchers tracked the sun over time to maintain their farming calendar. Now, a new paper demonstrates how Mexica temples were used, with entire...
Oxford University overlaid with Aztec sun stone. Source:  luisrsphoto / Adobe Stock / ryanking999 /Adobe Stock

The University of Oxford is Older than the Aztec Civilization!

The University of Oxford is so old that its existence predates the Aztec civilization by more than 200 years! Here are the facts: People were learning at the University of Oxford by 1096 and the...
Montezuma's zoo is a legendary treasure of the Aztec empire

Montezuma's Zoo: A Legendary Treasure of the Aztec Empire

When Hernán Cortés and his conquistadors entered the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan in 1519, they saw magnificent treasures of the ancient civilization. The wonders of pyramids, gold, and silver...
The temazcal, sweat lodge, found in La Merced, Mexico City, Mexico. Source: INAH

Finding Temazcaltitlán: Aztec ‘Sweat Lodge’ Holds Sacred Meaning in Mexico

The ruins of a 14th century Aztec ‘sweat lodge’, known as a temazcal, have been unearthed in Mexico City . It is located in the historic La Merced district and helps experts pinpoint where...
La Malinche (Young Girl of Yalala, Oaxaca).

The Controversial Role of La Malinche in the Fall of the Aztec Empire: Traitor or Hero?

La Malinche (meaning ‘ the captain’s woman’) , also known as ‘Malinalli’, ‘Malintzin’ or ‘ Doña Marina’, is an important figure in the history of Mexico, especially for the pivotal role she played in...
The legend of La Llorona. Source: Denise Rowlands / CC BY-SA 2.0

La Llorona: The Terrible Truth About Mexico's Weeping Woman

Of all the Latin American folktales and legends , none are more prolific and well-known as that of La Llorona. Long before its latest movie incarnation, “The Curse of La Llorona” was released the...
Depiction of Huitzilopochtli in the Tovar Codex.

Huitzilopochtli: The Hummingbird War God at the Forefront of the Aztec Pantheon

Huitzilopochtli was one of the most important deities in the Aztec pantheon. They saw him as the god of the sun, warfare, military conquest, sacrifice, and the patron god of Tenochtitlan...
The temple was discovered when archaeologists were analyzing the damage in Teopanzolco pyramid.

Mexican Earthquake Reveals Secret Temple in an Aztec Era Pyramid

The 7.1-magnitude earthquake which hit Mexico in September 2017 took hundreds of lives and caused considerable damage. At the Teopanzolco pyramid archaeological site, two temples were hit...
Chalchiuhtlicue final model.

Navigating the Realm of an Aztec Water Goddess and One of the Five Suns

The Aztecs placed an array of important life elements in the hands of Chalchiuhtlicue. She was primarily a goddess of freshwater, thus her domain included lakes, rivers, and streams. But she also...
Model of the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan

Sacrificial gifts found at Aztec Temple in Mexico feature a trove of diverse species

One of the great archaeological sites in Mexico is the sprawling ancient city of Tenochtitlan, religious center and capital of the Aztec civilization. Templo Mayor (The Great Temple) was a huge...
650-Year-Old Temple to Aztec Wind God Unearthed Under Supermarket in Mexico

650-Year-Old Temple to Aztec Wind God Unearthed Under Supermarket in Mexico

A temple dedicated to the Aztec wind god, Ehécatl-Quetzalcóatl, has been unearthed during the demolition of a supermarket in Mexico City. The circular temple is about 650 years old and is the second...
Illustration showing an Aztec skull rack.

New Research Shows that Gruesome Aztec Sacrifices included Locals of all Ages Too

A new study says the people sacrificed centuries ago by the Mexica (Aztec) at Tenochtitlan weren’t all prisoners of war killed just a short while after they were captured. Some of them, including...
Part of the newly discovered tunnel. (Notimex / 24-horas.mx)

Tunnel to Two Previously Unknown Chambers Found in Mexican Temple Mayor

In February 1978, a group of workers from an electrical company located a monumental sculpture in the middle of Mexico City. Its discovery and excavation marked a before and after in the study of...