Archaeological evidence of a hydraulic system that provided water to the City of Mexico

The First Art Newspaper on the Net    Established in 1996 Thursday, March 28, 2024


Archaeological evidence of a hydraulic system that provided water to the City of Mexico
The baths of Moctezuma. Photo: Meliton Tapia/INAH.



MEXICO CITY.- At the foot of the Chapultepec hill, specialists of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) have found archaeological evidence of a hydraulic system that used to provide water to the City of Mexico, they explained during the Historical Archaeology Symposium at the National Museum of History “Chapultepec Castle” (MNH).

The archaeologists Lourdes Lopez Camacho, from MNH and Guadalupe Espinosa, from the INAH Center in Veracruz, approached the following subjects: The fountains in aqueducts, the case of the fountain of Chapultepec and How were the baths of Moctezuma in Chapultepec discovered?, respectively.

Lopez Camacho said that historical archaeology in the hill of Chapulin has aided in documenting the way that ancient inhabitants of the Valley of Mexico had a true adoration for the woods and the water of Chapultepec, which dates back to the Teotihuacan epoch (100 BC through 600 AD).

“Chapultepec was a sacred place. Ancient rulers, such as Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, Ahuizotl and Moctezuma Xocoyotzing, used to have temples and resting homes there, just like Texcoco, where Nezahualcoyotl, whom colonial chronicles attribute the construction of a pre Hispanic aqueduct that provided the Great Tenochtitlan with water”, explained the archaeologist.

She added that the first aqueduct, made of reeds, stones and mud, was begun in 1418, a year after the death of Chimalpopoca, which marks the rise of the Mexica elite. By the ruling epoch of Moctexuma I, with the outlines of Nezahualcoyotl, they began the construction of the Stone channel, between the years 1454 and 1466.

Espinosa said that in general, the whole complex in the hill of Chapulin had a ritual, housing and recreational use for tlatoanismexican: “The chronicles mention that Moctezuma Xocoyotzin had a collection of exotic fish here”.

After the Conquest, the crystalline water pond served as a pool for Hernan Cortes and Malinche, for the Spanish viceroys of the New Spain; it was also used by cadets of the Military School (XIX century), the emperor Maximilian of Habsburg and his wife, the empress Charlotte of Belgium, General Porfirio Diaz, among other important characters.

The excavations allowed the rescue of “archeological teotihuacan material (100 BC through 600 AD), the Coyotlatelco phase (600 through 750 AD), the Aztec period I – IV (850 through 1521 AD), the colonial epoch (centuries XVI, XVII, XVIII), as well as the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century.

The specialist added that since the colonial epoch “there have been many legends that there was a great treasure buried in the baths of Moctezuma, however this was proven to be untrue. Archaeologist Maria de la Luz Moreno, in 1999, excavated the site and only found pre Hispanic ceramic, glass, mud recipients, colonial objects and bones, but no treasure”.










Today's News

June 4, 2013

First exhibition in Spain of Camille Pissarro's work opens at the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

Exhibition of new sculpture by Thomas Houseago opens at Gagosian Gallery in Rome

Most important collection of Gursky "Stock Exchanges" to be offered at Sotheby's London

Sotheby's announces painting by Monet is star lot of London Impressionist & Modern Art Sale

The Musée de l'Elysée welcomes over 30,000 items from René Burri's collection

Perrier Sparkling Natural Mineral Water introduces limited-edition bottles featuring the art of Andy Warhol

Museum-scale exhibition of nine new works by Bill Viola opens at Blain/Southern

Archaeological evidence of a hydraulic system that provided water to the City of Mexico

Pioneer of the use of electric light in art Bill Culbert represents New Zealand at La Biennale

Allen Memorial Art Museum names Andaleeb Badiee Banta Curator of European & American Art

Franklin's lost expedition comes alive at Bonhams auction titled Northwest America & the Arctic

Rubin Museum traces spread of stylistic and visual elements of religious iconography across asia

Washington Art Consortium donates over 200 Safeco Art Collection artworks to museums

Courtauld's Picasso exhibition attracts record visitors

Museum visitors to vote on which painting to keep

National Portrait Gallery unveils portrait of Julia Donaldson sitting in her props room

China Communist mouthpiece condemns plague of ducks

Painter Peter Maier unveils new work at Youngstown's Butler Art Museum

Two leading decorative arts institutions announce partnership

Cleveland Museum of Art presents Damián Ortega: The Blast and Other Embers




Museums, Exhibits, Artists, Milestones, Digital Art, Architecture, Photography,
Photographers, Special Photos, Special Reports, Featured Stories, Auctions, Art Fairs,
Anecdotes, Art Quiz, Education, Mythology, 3D Images, Last Week, .

 



Founder:
Ignacio Villarreal
(1941 - 2019)
Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez

Royalville Communications, Inc
produces:

ignaciovillarreal.org juncodelavega.com facundocabral-elfinal.org
Founder's Site. Hommage
to a Mexican poet.
Hommage
       

The First Art Newspaper on the Net. The Best Versions Of Ave Maria Song Junco de la Vega Site Ignacio Villarreal Site
Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the Artdaily newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful