Cuicuilco is
an important archaeological Mesoamerican Middle and Late Formative (c. 700 BCE – 150 CE)
period site located on the southern shore of the Lake Texcoco in
the southeastern Valley of Mexico. Today, it is a
significant archaeological site that was occupied
during the Early Formative until its destruction in the Late Formative. Based
on its date of occupation, Cuicuilco may be the oldest city in the Valley of
Mexico and was roughly contemporary with, and possibly interacting with the Olmec of the Gulf Coast of lowland Veracruz and Tabasco (also
known as the Olmec heartland).
Based on known facts, it was the
first important civic-religious center of the Mexican Highlands, its population
probably included all social strata and cultural traits that would characterize
the Altépetl (city-state) of classical Mesoamerica.
Cuicuilco was destroyed and
abandoned since the eruption of the
volcano Xitle, causing migrations and
changes to the population, it culminated with the Teotihuacán consolidation as
classical period ruler of the Central Highlands.
At the site are 8 of the many
housing and religious buildings that once existed, and the remains of a
hydraulic system that supplied water the city. One of the pyramids was built in
a strategic position, representing early prehispanic attempts to link religious
concepts with cosmic events through building construction. [Wiki]
THE CURRENT CHALLENGE
Fri May 10, 2013
This week's
challenge:
'Artificial Light'
'Artificial Light'
