Aztec culture came alive in the heart of Mexico City on Thursday (August 12), to mark 500 years since the fall of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan to the Spanish.

Aztec culture returns to Mexico City's heart, marking 500 years since fall of Tenochtitlan

A roof over Mexico City's most important Aztec temple Templo Mayor has partially collapsed in a hailstorm, officials said on Thursday.

The metal and acrylic roof over part of the site came crashing down on Wednesday night, just a day after the city's archaeological zone reopened from pandemic closures.

"Despite the spectacular nature of the accident, the damage to the archaeological heritage is not great," said Leonardo Lopez Lujan, director of the Templo Mayor Project.

In addition to the roof structure, the perimeter fence was damaged, said the culture ministry.

"The impact on pre-Hispanic structures is minor, recoverable and restorable and specialists will take care of this," the ministry said in a statement.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters that experts were assessing the damage.

A security guard suffered minor injuries in the collapse, authorities said.

Built and rebuilt throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, Templo Mayor was the sacred heart of the Aztec capital and believed to be the site of many human sacrifices.

The vast religious building was destroyed when the Spanish conquistadors razed Tenochtitlan in 1521 and built a colonial city on top of it.

Archaeologists first uncovered the temple ruins in 1914, but they were not excavated in earnest until the 1970s.

The historic center of Mexico City was named a UNESCO heritage site in 1987.

(With inputs from agencies)

A roof over Mexico City's most important Aztec temple Templo Mayor has partially collapsed in a hailstorm, officials said on Thursday. The metal and acrylic roof over part of the site came crashing down on Wednesday night, just a day after the city's archaeological zone reopened from pandemic closures.

A roof over Mexico City's most important Aztec temple Templo Mayor has partially collapsed in a hailstorm, officials said on Thursday. The metal and acrylic roof over part of the site came crashing down on Wednesday night, just a day after the city's archaeological zone reopened from pandemic closures. "Despite the spectacular nature of the accident, the damage to the archaeological heritage is not great," said Leonardo Lopez Lujan, director of the Templo Mayor Project. In addition to the roof structure, the perimeter fence was damaged, said the culture ministry. "The impact on pre-Hispanic structures is minor, recoverable and restorable and specialists will take care of this," the ministry said in a statement. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador told reporters that experts were assessing the damage. A security guard suffered minor injuries in the collapse, authorities said. Built and rebuilt throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, Templo Mayor was the sacred heart of the Aztec capital and believed to be the site of many human sacrifices. The vast religious building was destroyed when the Spanish conquistadors razed Tenochtitlan in 1521 and built a colonial city on top of it. Archaeologists first uncovered the temple ruins in 1914, but they were not excavated in earnest until the 1970s. The historic center of Mexico City was named a UNESCO heritage site in 1987. (With inputs from agencies)

Mexico: Roof over famous Aztec temple collapses in hailstorm

Archaeologists have unearthed new sections of an Aztec tower of human skulls dating back to the 1400s beneath the centre of Mexico City.

The newly uncovered wall is comprised of the skulls of men, women and children who were likely killed during ritual sacrifices to the gods, according to the statement.&nbsp;

At least three children were discovered among the skulls, identified by their smaller build and developing teeth.

According to the CNN, 119 skulls of men, women and children were found by a team of archaeologists on the eastern façade of the tower that was originally discovered in 2017.

Archaeologists believe that many of the skulls belonged to captured enemy warriors and that the tower was intended as a warning to rivals of the Aztec empire, which was overthrown by Spanish conquistadors in 1521.

Some of the remains could be of people who were killed in ritual sacrifices to appease the gods, according to experts quoted in a statement released by the National Anthropology and History Institute.

"Although we cannot determine how many of these individuals were warriors, perhaps some were captives set aside for sacrificial ceremonies," archaeologist Barrera Rodriguez said.

The tower, 4.7 meters (15.4 feet) in diameter, is thought to have been built around the end of the 15th century.

It is located in the area of the Templo Mayor, one of the main temples of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan in the historic district of modern-day Mexico City.

In total, more than 600 skulls have now been found at the site, which Mexican authorities have described as one of the country's most important archaeological discoveries in years.

"At every step, the Templo Mayor continues to surprise us," Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto said in a statement.

"The Huei Tzompantli is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive archaeological finds in our country in recent years."

The statement noted that in Mesoamerica human sacrifice was seen as a way of ensuring the continued existence of the universe.

For that reason, experts consider the tower to be "a building of life rather than death," it said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Archaeologists have unearthed new sections of an Aztec tower of human skulls dating back to the 1400s beneath the centre of Mexico City. The newly uncovered wall is comprised of the skulls of men, women and children who were likely killed during ritual sacrifices to the gods, according to the statement.

Archaeologists have unearthed new sections of an Aztec tower of human skulls dating back to the 1400s beneath the centre of Mexico City. The newly uncovered wall is comprised of the skulls of men, women and children who were likely killed during ritual sacrifices to the gods, according to the statement. At least three children were discovered among the skulls, identified by their smaller build and developing teeth. According to the CNN, 119 skulls of men, women and children were found by a team of archaeologists on the eastern façade of the tower that was originally discovered in 2017. Archaeologists believe that many of the skulls belonged to captured enemy warriors and that the tower was intended as a warning to rivals of the Aztec empire, which was overthrown by Spanish conquistadors in 1521. Some of the remains could be of people who were killed in ritual sacrifices to appease the gods, according to experts quoted in a statement released by the National Anthropology and History Institute. "Although we cannot determine how many of these individuals were warriors, perhaps some were captives set aside for sacrificial ceremonies," archaeologist Barrera Rodriguez said. The tower, 4.7 meters (15.4 feet) in diameter, is thought to have been built around the end of the 15th century. It is located in the area of the Templo Mayor, one of the main temples of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan in the historic district of modern-day Mexico City. In total, more than 600 skulls have now been found at the site, which Mexican authorities have described as one of the country's most important archaeological discoveries in years. "At every step, the Templo Mayor continues to surprise us," Culture Minister Alejandra Frausto said in a statement. "The Huei Tzompantli is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive archaeological finds in our country in recent years." The statement noted that in Mesoamerica human sacrifice was seen as a way of ensuring the continued existence of the universe. For that reason, experts consider the tower to be "a building of life rather than death," it said. (With inputs from agencies)

Tower of 'human skulls' built by Aztecs discovered in Mexico City

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote an open letter to Pope Francis on Saturday and called on the Roman Catholic Church to apologise for atrocities on indigenous people of Mexico during the Spanish conquest in 1500s. Spanish conquest of Latin America including Mexico had wiped out indigenous population and religion. Spanish Conquistadors, who were Catholic, equated the local relgion to devil worship and destroyed cultural symbols, book, places of worship etc. There were widespread killings. The local Aztec Empire soon fell.

"The Catholic Church, the Spanish monarchy and the Mexican government should make a public apology for the offensive atrocities that Indigenous people suffered," the letter from the Mexican president states.

In the same letter, Obrador has requested the Vatican to lend some ancient and pre-Hispanic Mexican and colonial-era documents.

One of the three codicies, or books, requested is the Codex Borgia, an especially colorful screen-fold book spread across dozens of pages that depicts gods and rituals from ancient central Mexico.

It is one of the best-preserved examples of pre-conquest Aztec-style writing that exists, after Catholic authorities in colonial-era Mexico dismissed such codicies as the work of the devil and ordered hundreds or even thousands of them burned in the decades following the 1521 conquest.

In the letter, Lopez Obrador requests the Vatican return the Codex Borgia, two other ancient codicies as well as its maps of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan for a one-year loan in 2021.

The Vatican has not yet responded to the request, but its museums and archives have in the past lent out various manuscripts and works of art after similar requests from other countries.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote an open letter to Pope Francis on Saturday and called on the Roman Catholic Church to apologise for atrocities on indigenous people of Mexico during the Spanish conquest in 1500s.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wrote an open letter to Pope Francis on Saturday and called on the Roman Catholic Church to apologise for atrocities on indigenous people of Mexico during the Spanish conquest in 1500s. Spanish conquest of Latin America including Mexico had wiped out indigenous population and religion. Spanish Conquistadors, who were Catholic, equated the local relgion to devil worship and destroyed cultural symbols, book, places of worship etc. There were widespread killings. The local Aztec Empire soon fell. "The Catholic Church, the Spanish monarchy and the Mexican government should make a public apology for the offensive atrocities that Indigenous people suffered," the letter from the Mexican president states. In the same letter, Obrador has requested the Vatican to lend some ancient and pre-Hispanic Mexican and colonial-era documents. One of the three codicies, or books, requested is the Codex Borgia, an especially colorful screen-fold book spread across dozens of pages that depicts gods and rituals from ancient central Mexico. It is one of the best-preserved examples of pre-conquest Aztec-style writing that exists, after Catholic authorities in colonial-era Mexico dismissed such codicies as the work of the devil and ordered hundreds or even thousands of them burned in the decades following the 1521 conquest. In the letter, Lopez Obrador requests the Vatican return the Codex Borgia, two other ancient codicies as well as its maps of the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan for a one-year loan in 2021. The Vatican has not yet responded to the request, but its museums and archives have in the past lent out various manuscripts and works of art after similar requests from other countries. (With inputs from Reuters)

Mexico asks Pope to apologise for atrocities during Spanish conquests

A traditional Aztec ceremony was held in Mexico City's Zocalo square on Sunday (July 26) to mark the 695th anniversary of the founding of the lost city of Tenochtitlan, the former Aztec capital that was destroyed by Spanish conquistadores.

Aztec culture returns to Mexico City to remember the lost city of Tenochtitlan

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