188:
fire to ignite the New Fire; meanwhile, Tenochtitlan and towns surrounding the great lake remained in complete darkness. The
Copilco priest took the fire from the chest and transmitted it to a bonfire. Later the prisoner was sacrificed, his heart extracted and thrown into the flames. There were messengers responsible to deliver torches lit with the New Fire to priests of towns that had attended the ceremony at Huizachtecatl.
176:. Each petal represented one of the four cardinal points; the region to the east was symbolized by the acatl glyph (cane), the west by calli (house), the north by tecpatl (flint stone knife) and the south by tochitl (rabbit). As an inherited Toltec tradition, they worshiped the Sun, deity that governed life of all beings and thought that human hearts were required to please him in addition to the blood on prisoner soldiers.
187:
At dusk of the great day the main priests wore their best clothes and headed by the priest of
Copilco, went to the top of Huizachtecatl to initiate the ceremony. Previously, a prisoner was placed in the main temple altar, and when the time came, a log or mamahuastli was placed on his chest and set on
122:
Archaeological investigations reveal indications of constructions built as early as 100 to 650 AD, and it was inhabited from the mid preclassical period (1000 AD) up to the
Spaniards arrival. First settlers of the site used the Huizachtecatl slopes, where villages were founded; they had early farming
194:
Based on archeological investigations, Colhuas were the first to use the top of the hill for the New Fire or
Toxiuhmopolli ceremony; historical sources indicate that four such ceremonies took place; in 1351, 1403, 1455 and 1507. Tenochtitlan was conquered before the fifth ceremony could take place.
126:
Ceramic and stone sculpture materials were discovered in the west side of
Huizachtecatl, apparently made within the 100 to 500 years AD; these resemble other similar pieces found in Zacatenco, north of México City. The constructions here were built between the year 100 and 650 AD and are located in
114:. After the fall of this city, approximately in the 8th century d. C., some of its inhabitants took refuge in the ancient coastal towns of Texcoco Lake such as Culhuacán. A cultural Teotihuacan haven remained there, later merged with warrior peoples, migrating towards the center of México.
130:
Archaeological evidence reveals the existence of a housing zone in the middle of the hill, built during the late
Classic period (600 to 900 AD). At that time numerous civil type structures were constructed because of the increased population. Unfortunately, remains are lost under present
138:
peoples inhabited the western section of the hill, where they founded the town of
Colhuacan. These settlers achieved important technological and social development; apparently a theocratic system prevailed and later by a dynasty of kings. Between years 1300 and 1521 AD, the
179:
For that reason, every 52 years, when the beginning of the calendars (Civil and
Religious) coincided, the sacerdotal class performed the New Fire ceremony, to prevent the Sun’s death, as they thought, would cause total darkness of the universe, allowing the sprouting of
80:
The oldest traces of human occupation in the
Iztapalapa territory originated at Santa María Aztahuacan village. In 1953 remains of two individuals were found and, according to analysis performed by
72:
knew this place as
Huizachtecatl. The site was very important since the “New Fire” ritual ceremony was performed here; it had a profound meaning for the population here and in surrounding regions.
608:
322:
Ramírez Acevedo, Gilberto (2003). "Reporte de la exploración del sitio arqueológico en la cima del Cerro de la Estrella (Huixachtecatl): el templo pirámide del "Fuego nuevo"".
544:
123:
systems and had a rudimentary social organization. It is believed that these groups made the stone glyphs found in the place known as “Cerro Chiquito” or small hill.
85:
61:
at an elevation of 2460 meters (8070 ft) above sea level, hence its Summit is 224 m over the Valley of Mexico level. At the southeast edge of what was the Great
99:
culture was established here. Cuicuilco, in the South of the Valley of Mexico, declined approximately in 150 CE possibly due to the eruption of the Xitle volcano.
245:
81:
593:
618:
603:
613:
515:
191:
At Tenochtitlan the fire was placed before the main deity, from where it was taken to other Gods temples, and from there to people’s quarters.
475:
401:
17:
356:
158:, in addition to providing the empire with staples. It is known that at that time, the Aztecs constructed platforms the top of the hill.
470:
384:
134:
Sahagún, Motolinia, Torquemada and the Cuautitlán Annals, among other sources, indicate that between the period 900 to 1300 AD,
510:
485:
305:
47:
91:
More recent archaeological materials indicate continued occupation of the Cerro de la Estrella slopes, at least from the
500:
598:
505:
253:
480:
421:
520:
416:
525:
495:
349:
127:
the North side, the remains consist of foundations and walls of palaces that indicate Teotihuacán’s influence.
460:
379:
92:
490:
465:
455:
445:
583:
450:
411:
151:
588:
530:
426:
342:
103:
31:
296:
Blanton, Richard E. (1972). "Prehistoric Settlement Patterns of the Ixtapalapa Region, Mexico".
436:
396:
167:
172:
The Mexicans conceived the universe as a four petal great flower, at the center of which was
39:
69:
279:
577:
106:. During the classical period, Culhuacán, as most cities in the Valley of Mexico and
16:
406:
173:
155:
62:
181:
111:
107:
58:
28:
365:
144:
135:
43:
559:
546:
96:
53:
148:
246:"Méndez Martínez, Enrique Cerro de la Estrella, INAH Official Web Page"
275:
273:
271:
140:
35:
102:
Towards the end of the Preclassical period commenced occupation by
211:
147:. They hoped that Ixtapalapa, in conjunction with the neighboring
88:, these human remains are approximately nine thousand years old.
249:
338:
334:
68:
Historical sources establish that ancient inhabitants of the
143:
conquered the area and established a settlement, naming it
154:, would serve as a barrier to protect the area south of
304:. University Park, PA.: Department of Anthropology,
435:
372:
609:1st-millennium establishments in North America
315:Huizachtepetl: geografía sagrada de Iztapalapa
350:
86:Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia
8:
313:Montero García, Ismael Arturo (Ed.) (2002).
357:
343:
335:
110:, was part of a trade system centered in
95:. At that time, a village related to the
390:Cerro de la Estrella archaeological site
15:
204:
240:
238:
236:
234:
232:
230:
228:
226:
224:
317:. Mexico City: Delegación Iztapalapa.
7:
82:National University of Mexico (UNAM)
594:Archaeological sites in Mexico City
280:WP Iztapalapa Municipality Web Page
402:Fábrica de Artes y Oficios Oriente
385:Cerro de la Estrella National Park
184:, entities that ate human beings.
14:
619:Indigenous peoples in Mexico City
604:Former populated places in Mexico
298:Occasional Papers in Anthropology
34:located in southeastern Central
614:1953 archaeological discoveries
1:
306:Pennsylvania State University
635:
165:
52:
417:Museo Cabeza de Juárez
21:
560:19.34361°N 99.09000°W
19:
476:Constitución de 1917
471:Cerro de la Estrella
412:La Nueva Viga Market
256:on December 15, 2010
25:Cerro de la Estrella
20:Cerro de la Estrella
565:19.34361; -99.09000
556: /
516:San Andrés Tomatlán
216:Topographical Chart
93:Preclassical period
32:archaeological site
599:Mesoamerican sites
22:
539:
538:
437:Mexico City Metro
397:Central de Abasto
168:New Fire ceremony
162:New Fire ceremony
76:Occupation stages
626:
571:
570:
568:
567:
566:
561:
557:
554:
553:
552:
549:
427:Pueblo Culhuacán
359:
352:
345:
336:
331:
318:
309:
283:
277:
266:
265:
263:
261:
252:. Archived from
242:
219:
209:
56:
40:Valley of Mexico
634:
633:
629:
628:
627:
625:
624:
623:
574:
573:
564:
562:
558:
555:
550:
547:
545:
543:
542:
540:
535:
431:
368:
363:
321:
312:
295:
292:
290:Further reading
287:
286:
278:
269:
259:
257:
244:
243:
222:
210:
206:
201:
170:
164:
131:constructions.
120:
78:
70:Mexican Plateau
12:
11:
5:
632:
630:
622:
621:
616:
611:
606:
601:
596:
591:
586:
576:
575:
537:
536:
534:
533:
528:
523:
518:
513:
508:
503:
501:Lomas Estrella
498:
493:
488:
483:
478:
473:
468:
463:
458:
453:
448:
442:
440:
433:
432:
430:
429:
424:
419:
414:
409:
404:
399:
394:
393:
392:
382:
376:
374:
370:
369:
364:
362:
361:
354:
347:
339:
333:
332:
319:
310:
291:
288:
285:
284:
267:
248:(in Spanish).
220:
203:
202:
200:
197:
166:Main article:
163:
160:
119:
116:
77:
74:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
631:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
602:
600:
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
585:
582:
581:
579:
572:
569:
532:
529:
527:
524:
522:
519:
517:
514:
512:
509:
507:
506:Mexicaltzingo
504:
502:
499:
497:
494:
492:
489:
487:
486:Escuadrón 201
484:
482:
479:
477:
474:
472:
469:
467:
464:
462:
459:
457:
454:
452:
449:
447:
444:
443:
441:
438:
434:
428:
425:
423:
420:
418:
415:
413:
410:
408:
405:
403:
400:
398:
395:
391:
388:
387:
386:
383:
381:
378:
377:
375:
371:
367:
360:
355:
353:
348:
346:
341:
340:
337:
329:
325:
320:
316:
311:
307:
303:
299:
294:
293:
289:
281:
276:
274:
272:
268:
255:
251:
247:
241:
239:
237:
235:
233:
231:
229:
227:
225:
221:
217:
213:
208:
205:
198:
196:
192:
189:
185:
183:
177:
175:
169:
161:
159:
157:
153:
150:
146:
142:
137:
132:
128:
124:
117:
115:
113:
109:
105:
100:
98:
94:
89:
87:
83:
75:
73:
71:
66:
64:
60:
55:
50:
49:
45:
41:
37:
33:
30:
26:
18:
541:
422:Passion Play
407:Iztapasauria
389:
327:
323:
314:
301:
297:
258:. Retrieved
254:the original
215:
207:
193:
190:
186:
178:
174:Tenochtitlan
171:
156:Tenochtitlan
133:
129:
125:
121:
101:
90:
79:
67:
63:Texcoco Lake
46:
29:Mesoamerican
24:
23:
584:Aztec sites
563: /
521:Santa Marta
511:Peñón Viejo
324:Arqueología
136:Chichimecan
112:Teotihuacan
108:Mesoamerica
59:Mexico City
589:Iztapalapa
578:Categories
551:99°05′24″W
548:19°20′37″N
526:Tepalcates
496:Iztapalapa
366:Iztapalapa
330:: 155–167.
260:19 October
218:(Spanish).
199:References
182:tsitsimeme
145:Ixtapalapa
51:(English:
44:Iztapalapa
481:Culhuacán
461:Atlalilco
380:Carnivals
373:Landmarks
282:(Spanish)
152:Colhuacan
104:Culhuacán
97:Cuicuilco
54:mayoralty
42:, in the
491:Guelatao
466:Calle 11
456:Apatlaco
446:Acatitla
439:stations
214:(1995):
149:altepetl
48:alcaldía
84:and by
451:Aculco
141:Aztecs
36:Mexico
531:UAM-I
212:INEGI
57:) of
27:is a
262:2010
250:INAH
118:Site
38:'s
580::
328:30
326:.
300:.
270:^
223:^
65:.
358:e
351:t
344:v
308:.
302:6
264:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
