The history of the imposing city of Teotihuacan, in central Mexico, is intriguing. Flourishing in the first half of the 1st millennium AD, it experienced a brutal decline associated with fires and destruction. So far linked to revolts, these destructions could have been partly caused by a powerful earthquake, explains a new study.
The city of Teotihuacan is certainly one of the most emblematic archaeological sites in Mexico. Its pyramids are among the largest built during the pre-Columbian era. They were part of a vast city that may have housed as many as 200,000 inhabitants! Built during the 1st century BC, Teotihuacan became one of the largest cities in the world at its peak in the first half of the 1st millennium AD. The city then experienced a decline in population. By the year 600, several buildings and pyramids were set on fire or destroyed. This period of violence led to the permanent abandonment of Teotihuacan. However, the origin of this decline is still widely debated. Internal political-religious unrest? A period of drought and volcanic eruption leading to famines and malnutrition? Attack and invasion from other cities?
Arguments exist for each of these hypotheses, suggesting that the causes of the fall of Teotihuacan may be multiple.
Five Mega-Earthquakes Damaged the City of Teotihuacan
A new study, published in the journal Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports shows that the occurrence of several violent earthquakes could have also played a role. Previous studies had already highlighted that certain distinctive destruction observed in the walls of temples and pyramids was caused by earthquakes and not by human hands or simply the passage of time.
A new systematic analysis of the different pyramids, however, revealed that five mega-earthquakes actually affected the city of Teotihuacan between 100 and 600 AD.
The Subduction Zone Located Along the Pacific Coast to Blame
The central region of Mexico, where ancient cities like Teotihuacan are located, is often affected by powerful earthquakes (magnitudes greater than 8.5) caused by the subduction zone along its Pacific coast. In the Mesoamerican trench, the Cocos and Rivera tectonic plates submerge under.The North American and Caribbean tectonic plates.
If these earthquakes have the ability to damage current Mexican cities, there is no reason they would not have affected the ancient city of Teotihuacan. Many basalt blocks used in the construction of the pyramids have broken corners, some have partially come out of their housing or have fallen. All this damage can be associated with the occurrence of powerful earthquakes. The nature of these destructions and their location have allowed to identify the origin of the seismic waves, which point to the subduction zone located to the southwest.
A decline partly linked to the occurrence of a powerful earthquake in the year 600
Five major earthquakes are said to have caused significant damage to the pyramids. The first around the year 100, the second around 225, the third and fourth between 400 and 525, and the last around 600. This last one could be responsible for the fires and numerous destructions previously associated only with revolts. According to the study’s authors, it is likely that such a natural disaster fueled tensions and riots during a period of internal conflicts. This latest earthquake could have been the final straw that led to the definitive decline of the city and its abandonment.