Definition: The principal temple for the Aztec people living in Tenochtitlan, the Templo Mayor was built beginning in the year 1390 AD. Destroyed by the Spanish conquistadors in 1521, the building foundations were accidentally found in 1978 during a construction project in Mexico City.
Excavations have been conducted at the site for decades by a team led by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, leading to an impressive amount of information concerning the temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, and the Mexica people who built it.
Excavations have been conducted at the site for decades by a team led by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, leading to an impressive amount of information concerning the temple dedicated to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, and the Mexica people who built it.
Sources
For more detailed information on the Aztec civilization, see the Aztec Study Guide. A bibliography of articles and books on the Aztecs has been assembled.This glossary entry is part of the Dictionary of Archaeology.
