Templo Mayor & Tenochtitlán. In 1978, electric company workers digging in Mexico City made a major discovery buried under the heart of the city. They unearthed a 25-ton stone disk carved with the images of the Aztec moon goddess, Coyolxauhqui. Excavators immediately knew that they had found the remains of Templo Mayor.

Built in the 14th century, Templo Mayor, or the Great Temple, was dedicated to the Aztec God of war (Huitzilopochtli) and the God of water (Tlaloc) and served as the most important religious site in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlán. This towering pyramid is where human sacrifice would have taken place to honor the God Huitzilopochtli. It is believed that tens of thousands of men, women, children, and prisoners from surrounding tribes were sacrificed. Skulls of the victims were proudly displayed on a skull rack at the base of the pyramid, a warning to other tribes.

Are you wondering how Templo Mayor was ‘lost’ until the 20th century? Templo Mayor and much of Tenochtitlán were leveled by the Spanish invaders in an effort to erase polytheistic practices.

But not all was destroyed. Templo Mayor was a significant find in the archaeological world. Over a five year period, more than 7,000 objects were found at the excavation site, including: religious carvings, beads, and the remains of human sacrifice. Walking around the remains, I saw a skull rack called a Tzompantli - a small reminder of the original use of this structure. I could only imagine what Templo Mayor would have looked like in its 14th century prime.

The Spanish Conquest. When the Spanish arrived on the shores of México in 1519, many of the native non-Aztec were already eager to rise-up against the emperor Moctezuma and the powerful Aztec empire. Hernán Cortés quickly recruited them to join forces and march into battle at Tenochtitlán in 1521.

Caught off guard, the Aztec did not have the resources necessary to defend their empire. Their lack of weaponry, food, water supplies, and strategy left them at a serious disadvantage. To make matters worse, many fell ill with new diseases introduced by the Spanish. The Spanish defeated the Aztec empire of more than 5 million in just 80 days. My guess is that it was a very bloody and unfair battle.

With no hope left, the Aztec surrendered on August, 13 1521. In celebration of their victory, the Spanish leveled the city of Tenochtitlán, and renamed it New Spain.

Wondering how the Aztec were so easily defeated? Be sure to watch The Legend of Quetzalcoatl video for one possible answer.

Turn the page: For México’s turning points.

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