Speaker 1: Welcome. This is Marcia for Radio I and today I
Speaker 1: will be reading National Geographic History Magazine. As a reminder,
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Speaker 1: first article entitled Thracian Treasure Buried Gold of the Balkans
Speaker 1: Across Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Turkey. The Thracians buried caches
Speaker 1: of treasure. Since the mid twentieth century, these exquisite gold
Speaker 1: and silver pieces have been coming to light, revealing unexpected
Speaker 1: traits of this ancient peopil. This article by Hangel Carlos
Speaker 1: Perez Aguero. For the longest time, little was known about
Speaker 1: the ancient Thracians, a group of highly diverse tribes of
Speaker 1: Indo European origin. At the beginning of the fourth millennium
Speaker 1: b c. They settled in what is today European Turkey,
Speaker 1: Eastern Greece, and Bulgaria. At the art of the Middle Ages,
Speaker 1: Slavic migrants joined the mix. Thracians left behind few of
Speaker 1: their own written records. Most documentation comes from the ancient Greeks,
Speaker 1: who primarily portrayed the Thracians as barbarians. They appear, for example,
Speaker 1: several times in Homer's Iliad as allies of Troy. Later
Speaker 1: in the tale, the Thracian king Rhesus makes an appearance.
Speaker 1: In the fifth century b c. Write writers Herodotus, Thucydides,
Speaker 1: and Xenophon described them as warriors and mercenaries in their accounts,
Speaker 1: usually depicted in battle attire. The Thracians also are believed
Speaker 1: to appear on Athenian made red figure ceramics. Several relatively
Speaker 1: recent archaeological discoveries have greatly expanded what is known about
Speaker 1: the Thracians. Their monumental city of Suthopolis was uncovered in
Speaker 1: nineteen forty eight during the construction of a reservoir near
Speaker 1: the town of Kazanlach in central Bulgaria. Built between three
Speaker 1: two five and three one, the fortified city served as
Speaker 1: the capital of the Odrysian Kingdom of Thrace and was
Speaker 1: the personal residence of King Suthis. It proved the Thracians
Speaker 1: did in fact establish lasting political organizations. Additional stunning fines
Speaker 1: were uncovered between nineteen forty eight and nineteen eighty five.
Speaker 1: These different hordes of silver and gold objects were named
Speaker 1: for the areas where they were found. They date back
Speaker 1: mainly to the Classical period fifth to fourth centuries b
Speaker 1: C and to the beginning of the Hellenistic period third
Speaker 1: century BC, although some date from both earlier and later periods.
Speaker 1: One of the most recent discoveries came in two thousand four.
Speaker 1: Archaeologists excavating the Svititsana burial mound in Schipka, central Bulgaria
Speaker 1: uncovered a solid gold funerary mask weighing over a pound
Speaker 1: and a half. They also found bronze armor, weapons, silverware,
Speaker 1: and Greek sramic from the fifth century BC. Aside from
Speaker 1: the immense monetary value of the objects, these discoveries provided
Speaker 1: ground bak breaking insights into Thracian society. Thracians enjoyed a
Speaker 1: fairly advanced culture, noted for its exquisite artisans, a rich
Speaker 1: heritage of myths and beliefs, and a developed economy based
Speaker 1: on crafts, agriculture, and trade. In nineteen forty nine, three
Speaker 1: brothers digging for clay to make bricks at a tile
Speaker 1: factory near the city of Panajerishta in northern a southern Bulgaria,
Speaker 1: unearthed nine perfectly preserved solid gold containers weighing over thirteen
Speaker 1: pounds in total, they had accidentally discovered what would become
Speaker 1: known as the Panajerishta. Treasure. Pieces included a double handled anphra,
Speaker 1: three small jugs for wine with disc shaped mouths called ulpas,
Speaker 1: a shala bowl probably used to make libations for the divinities,
Speaker 1: called a fiale, and four ceremonial drinking vessels shaped like
Speaker 1: animal horns called rytons. Zoomorphic or mythological motifs typical of
Speaker 1: the Greek figurative repertoire, including Dionysius of Paolo and Artemis,
Speaker 1: decorate the pieces. There thought to have been a table
Speaker 1: service for a ceremonial symposium. The vessels date from the
Speaker 1: end of the fourth or beginning of the third century BC.
Speaker 1: Some experts associate them with King Suthus the Third, who
Speaker 1: served who lived at that time, although the evidence is
Speaker 1: not conclusive. The only inscriptions visible on the vessels mentioned
Speaker 1: the Greek polis of Lampsacus, located on the southern coast
Speaker 1: of the Hellespontus, now known as Dardenell's. They suggest that
Speaker 1: the pieces were cast in the workshops of that city. However,
Speaker 1: it seems likely that the gold itself came from the
Speaker 1: substantial gold deposits on Mount Pangaeon, located in the southern
Speaker 1: Thracian territory near Biegean coast Bivoro Treasure. In nineteen seventy four,
Speaker 1: while plowing near the town of Bavoro Berovo in central
Speaker 1: North Bulgaria near the Danube, agricultural workers unearthed another Thracian treasure.
Speaker 1: This horde consisted of five silver vessels with details applied
Speaker 1: in gold, three rytons, an ovoid opa and a wide bowl.
Speaker 1: Restoration work brought back the Borrovo treasures. Dazzling appearance and
Speaker 1: decorations of grif Greek mythological iconography were revealed. Other traits, meanwhile,
Speaker 1: showed the influence of the Great Eastern Empire of Archimedid Persia,
Speaker 1: into which Darius, the first King of Persia between five
Speaker 1: twenty two and forty eighty six BC, had re subjugated Thrace.
Speaker 1: One inscription mentions the king Cortus the First, who lived
Speaker 1: in the first half of the fourth century BC and
Speaker 1: ruled the ancient threeistion Odrisian state. While the treasure may
Speaker 1: have been his, it could also have been a diplomatic
Speaker 1: gift presented to another leader Rogozan Treasure. In the winter
Speaker 1: of nineteen eighty five, a local from the village of
Speaker 1: Rogozin in northwestern Bulgaria was working in his orchard when
Speaker 1: he came across the first piece of another huge collection
Speaker 1: of Thracian treasure. The Rogozan Treasure is the largest of
Speaker 1: the Thracian hordes found so far, and is one of
Speaker 1: the largest in all of European antiquity. It consists of
Speaker 1: one hundred and eight phili, forty five ole pays and
Speaker 1: three goblets with embrasse embossed figurative decoration, mostly silver with
Speaker 1: some gold additions. In total, the pieces weigh over forty
Speaker 1: four pounds. It striking that the weight of some pieces
Speaker 1: corresponds exactly to both Macedonian and Persian units of measure,
Speaker 1: which suggests that the pieces could have been produced with
Speaker 1: the intention of using them as payments in metal. There
Speaker 1: are a notable variety of styles and designed evolution in
Speaker 1: this hoard, suggesting the pieces were made and collected at
Speaker 1: different times. The names of Thrician kings from various periods
Speaker 1: are engraved on the vessels, which suggests the treasure was
Speaker 1: added to during the fifth and fourth centuries b C.
Speaker 1: Experts believe the collection could be the dynastic trousseau of
Speaker 1: a wealthy family, accumulated by several generations over a hundred
Speaker 1: fifty years or more. For some unknown reason, the treasure
Speaker 1: was buried by its owners and never recovered. It stayed
Speaker 1: safely stored under ground until its discovery at the end
Speaker 1: of the last century. Other hordes have been discovered, including
Speaker 1: the fourth century b C. Leu Covit Treasure nineteen fifty three,
Speaker 1: whose silver objects include equestrian scenes such as two horsemen
Speaker 1: chasing lions, perhaps representing the glorification of royal power. The
Speaker 1: let Nitze Treasure nineteen sixty three included twenty two gold
Speaker 1: and silver gilt appocades that decorate horse trappings. They were
Speaker 1: adorned with scenes that depict the idea of a hero,
Speaker 1: shedding light on the mythological beliefs of the ancient Thracians.
Speaker 1: A fascinating aspect of the Thracian treasure hoardes is that,
Speaker 1: unlike most of the other discoveries found in Bulgaria, they
Speaker 1: are not related to one specific archaeological site. Specialists believe
Speaker 1: they were deliberately hidden by the Thracians themselves in a
Speaker 1: variety of locations far removed from settled site. Experts have
Speaker 1: come up with various theories as to why this might be.
Speaker 1: Some believe the vessels are ex votos offered by the
Speaker 1: Thracians to gods or spirits associated with the earth or
Speaker 1: the underworld. There are several examples in antiquity of this
Speaker 1: being done after a ritual, perhaps a symposium. Other researchers
Speaker 1: suggest the pieces were buried in an attempt to keep
Speaker 1: them safe from an unknown threat from local thieves to
Speaker 1: outside invaders. There are many examples from other cultures of
Speaker 1: bearing valuables to protect them, perhaps the most plausible explanation
Speaker 1: given the great worth of the pieces, mysterious makers. Clearly
Speaker 1: skillful metallurgists crafted the Thracian treasures, the question remains, who
Speaker 1: were they. The iconography of the Thracian treasures closely resembles
Speaker 1: that of classical Greek art. It's likely the creators of
Speaker 1: these pieces was inspired by Hellenic fireclay methods. Other influences,
Speaker 1: for example, Persian, are present in the fine craftsmanship. The
Speaker 1: depiction of animals is similar to that of the nomadic
Speaker 1: steppe people of the Scythians and a blend of Near
Speaker 1: Eastern and Egyptian features similar to those found in Phrygian
Speaker 1: art from Western Anatolia is also evident. So did the
Speaker 1: Thracians produce them or did someone else. There is evidence
Speaker 1: that local metallurgical traditions existed in Thrace from at least
Speaker 1: the Copper Age, but the style of that work is
Speaker 1: different from that of the treasures. Some experts believe the
Speaker 1: treasures must have been imported from Greece, Persia, or elsewhere.
Speaker 1: Others argue they were locally produced, but based on foreign
Speaker 1: models destined to provide the Thracian kings with prestigious goods
Speaker 1: in keeping with the fashion of the time. Whatever the
Speaker 1: truth is, the existence of these treasures demonstrates that Thracian
Speaker 1: society was far more complex than ancient Greek sources suggest
Speaker 1: mingling ancient treasures, the Thracians left behind almost no written texts,
Speaker 1: and the inscriptions that have been found are impossible to read,
Speaker 1: as the Thracian language has not yet been deciphered. Instead,
Speaker 1: the images that decorate their hidden treasures and their grave
Speaker 1: goods give the best clues to their culture. These images
Speaker 1: indicate that at least from classical times, syncretism was occurring
Speaker 1: between Thracian and Hellenistic traditions. For example, the physiognomy of
Speaker 1: some Greek gods and heroes, such as Dionysus and Heracles,
Speaker 1: is evident in the representations of some Thracian divinities. The Thracians, however,
Speaker 1: were not passive recipients of Helenek Helenek culture. They exported
Speaker 1: their divinities too, such as Bendis, a goddess of the hunt,
Speaker 1: who was worshiped in Attica and assimilated with the Greek
Speaker 1: goddess Artemis local spin on Greek traditions. The male social
Speaker 1: gatherings known as symposia became popular wherever the Greeks settled.
Speaker 1: The Etruscans, Iberians, Romans, and Thracians who came into contact
Speaker 1: with Greek colonies tended to adopt the tableware used at symposia,
Speaker 1: the large crater from mixing wine with water, the jugs
Speaker 1: for serving it, and vessels for drinking it. This tableware, however,
Speaker 1: often was adapted to local preferences. The crater, for example,
Speaker 1: was used in some cultures as an urn in which
Speaker 1: to deposit the ashes of the deceased, something unthinkable for
Speaker 1: the Hellenes. Thracian Kingdom. The Thracian tribe settled in a
Speaker 1: territory that stretched along the shores of the Black Sea,
Speaker 1: the Sea of Marmara, and the Aegean. In the fifth
Speaker 1: and fourth centuries BC, the Odrysians establish a vast kingdom
Speaker 1: that lasted until the rule of Alexander the Great, while
Speaker 1: numerous Greek colonies prospered on the coast. Four ninety BC,
Speaker 1: after the Persians withdraw the Odrisian king terries, the first
Speaker 1: unites the Thracian tribes living between the Danube River and
Speaker 1: the Rhodope Mountains three twenty five to three fifteen BC. Suthis,
Speaker 1: the third king of the Odrisians, builds a city called
Speaker 1: Southopolis and makes it his capital, the only known Thracian capital.
Speaker 1: Its ruins are now beneath a reservoir. Eight forty six.
Speaker 1: After the Roman emperor Claudius and his army conquered Thrace
Speaker 1: in eighty forty six, the entirety of the Athracian territory
Speaker 1: becomes a new Roman province. Next jewel of teenach Tetlan
Speaker 1: Templo mayor by Isabel Bueno, rising over the Aztec capital
Speaker 1: was once an imposing pyramid dedicated to two gods, Plata
Speaker 1: and Zakopochli. Uncovered in nineteen seventy eight, The remains of
Speaker 1: Templo Mayor have revealed the shocking rituals used to appease them.
Speaker 1: For centuries, archaeologists searched in vain for Templo Mayor, which
Speaker 1: they knew existed somewhere beneath modern day Mexico City, once
Speaker 1: rising some one hundred sixty feet above the Aztec or Mexica,
Speaker 1: as the Aztec referred to themselves, ceremonial center of Tinachtetlan,
Speaker 1: the ancient campel of the Aztec Empire. The pyramid served
Speaker 1: as the religious focal point and some say the center
Speaker 1: of the Aztec universe. But then Hernan Cortes, head of
Speaker 1: a joint force of Spanish troops and hundreds of thousands
Speaker 1: of indigenous allies, conquered the city in fifteen twenty one,
Speaker 1: badly damaging the pyramid. Over time, it gradually disappeared. Maps
Speaker 1: and chronicles indicated that Templo Mayor lay beneath Mexico city
Speaker 1: Metropolitan Cathedral. Once in a while, when work was carried
Speaker 1: out in the city's subsoil, objects related to Templo Mayor
Speaker 1: would appear. In seventeen ninety, a large statue of the
Speaker 1: goddess Kotli Kue and a twenty four ton monolith called
Speaker 1: the Sunstone or Aztec Calendar were found. In nineteen fourteen,
Speaker 1: an archaeologists unearthed more remains that he linked to Templo Mayor.
Speaker 1: A breakthrough came in nineteen seventy eight when, in the
Speaker 1: course of some underground cabling work, electricity company workers made
Speaker 1: the chance discovery of an eleven foot wide monolith depicting
Speaker 1: Coyote bloch Siqui. In Aztec mythology, she is the goddess
Speaker 1: of the Moon and sister of Huitzakopochli, the sun, to
Speaker 1: whom the Templo Mayor was dedicated. Shockingly, the goddess was
Speaker 1: portrayed as decapitated and dismembered. Archaeologists were riveted by the
Speaker 1: fine and wadded to know more. An excavation team, overseen
Speaker 1: by archaeologists Eduardo Matos Motezuma, was immediately launched. What emerged
Speaker 1: from these diggings was the Templo Mayor, huge temple pyramid
Speaker 1: that had served as the sacred center of the Aztec Empire,
Speaker 1: writes archaeologist Michael E. Smith in the Aztecs. Over the
Speaker 1: past forty five years. The team's painstaking work has brought
Speaker 1: to light some of the most breathtaking Aztec artifacts ever found,
Speaker 1: and with them came startling insights into major aspects of
Speaker 1: Aztec religion, life, and society. The original Templa Mayor was
Speaker 1: a simple thatched shrine built during the reign of its
Speaker 1: coolto fourteen twenty seven to fourteen forty. Subsequent leaders ordered
Speaker 1: its enlargement to commemorate their military victories or sometimes as
Speaker 1: the result of flooding or other environmental problems. Excavations have
Speaker 1: confirmed at least seven expansions. It may be surprising that
Speaker 1: they preferred to enlarge the old temple instead of building
Speaker 1: a new one, but there is a reason that has
Speaker 1: to do with the special significance of the site itself.
Speaker 1: According to myth, the god Huitzelapochili led the Aztec or
Speaker 1: Mexico on their march from the mythical homeland of Atslan
Speaker 1: to Lake Texcoco. There he showed the priests a small
Speaker 1: island where an eagle was perched on a nopal cactus
Speaker 1: called Tenochtli in Nahuatl, the language of the Mexico. The
Speaker 1: land was little more than a swamp, but these hardy
Speaker 1: new inhabitants, almost totally uncultured, yet possessing an indomitable will.
Speaker 1: According to renowned scholar Miguel Leon Portilla, founded tinach Lican
Speaker 1: and built there the embryo of the Templo Mayor. It
Speaker 1: took the labor of thousands of people over many years
Speaker 1: to construct this magnificent temple. The workers included not only
Speaker 1: the city's inhabitants, but also laborers from other towns that
Speaker 1: were dominated by the Aztec. These subjects were forced to
Speaker 1: work on government projects as part of their tribute to
Speaker 1: the empire. The Aztec also required them to provide building materials.
Speaker 1: Refusal to collaborate could trigger a war, with the resulting
Speaker 1: taking and sacrificing of Templo Mayor of Tinatchilkan thus became
Speaker 1: a demonstration of the power of the Aztec rulers over
Speaker 1: the surrounding peoples. No doubt, the site was magnificent. Templo
Speaker 1: Mayor hue te Kali in Nahuatl stood in the eastern
Speaker 1: part of the ceremonial center of tinach Likan. There were
Speaker 1: seventy eight buildings in this area, including temples, priestly residences, altars,
Speaker 1: a ballgame court, and sam Panthis racks on which human
Speaker 1: skulls were displayed. At its peak, Templo Mayor's final iteration
Speaker 1: was a truncated pyramid resting on a four tiered platform.
Speaker 1: Twin staircases access to smaller temples atop the pyramid, each
Speaker 1: dedicated to the city's main gods, Tlacloch and Huizepoltli. The
Speaker 1: Koyakhotskuima monolith was found at the base of the stairs
Speaker 1: leading to the latter temple. Templo Mayor was built symbolically
Speaker 1: represent Quatapec, the sacred mountain where the sun god Huitzilopochepli
Speaker 1: was born. The Aztec considered it to be the center
Speaker 1: of the world, from which the four axes that mark
Speaker 1: the courses of the universe embarked. The Templo Mayor was
Speaker 1: thus the point of intersection through which cosmic energy flowed,
Speaker 1: enabling communication between gods and men. The sacred mountain is
Speaker 1: as important as the Cross in Christianity, says harbored historian
Speaker 1: of religions David Carrasco. Its pyramidal structure represented the three
Speaker 1: levels of the Aztec world view. The square platform on
Speaker 1: which the temple stood was the horizontal plane, where all
Speaker 1: living beings existed, while the pyramid represented the celestial level
Speaker 1: and below it was the underworld. Templo Mayora was a
Speaker 1: tangible display of life and death, beginning and end. Even
Speaker 1: the two temples that crowned it reflected this symbolism. Plalak,
Speaker 1: as an aquatic divinity, represented life and substance for agricultural
Speaker 1: people such as the Aztec, while Hitzlo Pochali was the
Speaker 1: god of war and death, sunset and sunrise. The temple
Speaker 1: also commemorated the victory of Huitzlopochli over his innumerable brothers, who,
Speaker 1: according to the myth, had conspired against him and paid
Speaker 1: for it with their lives. His sister Coatsoiqui, also rebelled,
Speaker 1: and whitz Lapochali killed her by throwing her from the
Speaker 1: summit of Mount Koatapec. A monolith representing the goddess's death
Speaker 1: was placed at the foot of the staircase leading to
Speaker 1: Templo Mayor. As the most important temple, Templo Mayor hosted
Speaker 1: the main ceremonies of Aztec society, from the coronations of
Speaker 1: new monarchs to varied rituals relating to agriculture, reign, and
Speaker 1: the proper functioning of the heavenly bodies. The ceremonies were
Speaker 1: spread throughout the ritual calendar according to the importance of
Speaker 1: the divinity in the Aztec pantheon. Many of the human
Speaker 1: sacrifices took place as parts of these monthly celebrations. Smith
Speaker 1: writes each year, hundreds or perhaps thousands of victims had
Speaker 1: their chests cut open and their still beating hearts ripped
Speaker 1: out by knife wielding priests as throngs of spectators looked on.
Speaker 1: The most solemn events were reserved for the most important god,
Speaker 1: whiz Lapochli. In these days, people were executed on a
Speaker 1: stone in front of hit La Postle's temple. Their hearts
Speaker 1: were then placed on a beautiful polychrome chap mul, a
Speaker 1: reclining figure sculpted in stone in front of the temple
Speaker 1: of Tlalac. The Aztec believed human sacrifices were necessary in
Speaker 1: their religious rituals to placate the Sun God. Through these sacrifices,
Speaker 1: they repeated the deaths of the gods who sacrificed themselves
Speaker 1: in the sacred hearth of Teo Ti Hua Khan, so
Speaker 1: that men could live, feeding the movement of the sun
Speaker 1: with their blood. They believed the sacred deaths ensured the
Speaker 1: continuity of life on earth, while reminding those who opposed
Speaker 1: the Aztec that they could die and the bloody altar
Speaker 1: of the Templo mayor. Most victims were enemy warriors captured
Speaker 1: in battle. Smith writes the captor sponsored the sacrivice, thereby
Speaker 1: gaining prestige. One of the most eagerly awaited Aztec festivals
Speaker 1: was Pantkotsarlitsi, the Raising of Banners, which was celebrated in December,
Speaker 1: close to the winter solstice. As dawn broke, a runner
Speaker 1: carrying an image of hutz Lapocheli made of baked dough
Speaker 1: sprinted down from the top of the temple and ran away,
Speaker 1: pursued by the crowd. He first took the god to
Speaker 1: the ballgame court, where four victims were sacrificed to him
Speaker 1: and he received their hearts as an offering. The runner
Speaker 1: then continued the frantic chase through some riverside towns, followed
Speaker 1: by the faithful, who struggled to catch up with him.
Speaker 1: The reason he ran had to do with the fact
Speaker 1: that huitz Lapocheli was never defeated. The entire route was
Speaker 1: adorned with large triumphal arches of roses, fron Japani and flags.
Speaker 1: At each arch, musicians played drums in cunk shells to
Speaker 1: announce the passing of the procession. When the idol returned
Speaker 1: to Tinochlik Khan along the Itza Parapa road, all the
Speaker 1: temple's dignitaries went out to welcome it with music and dances.
Speaker 1: Before going up the temple steps, the image was shown
Speaker 1: to those kept next to the skull fence who were
Speaker 1: waiting their turn to be sacrificed. At the foot of
Speaker 1: the temples steps, the idol's image was placed on a
Speaker 1: platform and hoisted reverently to the top with thick ropes.
Speaker 1: Four priests held down the feet and hands of those
Speaker 1: who were to die, another held their throat, and the
Speaker 1: sixth opened their chest and extracted their heart. The priest's
Speaker 1: bodies were painted black and their hair was tied, with
Speaker 1: leather bands around their heads and little paper rings on
Speaker 1: their foreheads. After the ceremony, the image of the god
Speaker 1: was blessed and divided among the attendees to be eaten.
Speaker 1: Another important dastek festival was the one dedicated to the
Speaker 1: goddess Toucci, part of Quat s Licou, Mother of the
Speaker 1: Gods and Heart of the Earth, which was celebrated in
Speaker 1: the temple of Mayor on September sixteenth. In this ceremony,
Speaker 1: a woman of forty to forty five years of age
Speaker 1: was offered to the goddess. They first purified her and
Speaker 1: washed her and named her after the divinity. Before dawn
Speaker 1: on the feast day, the sanctified woman was taken outside
Speaker 1: and a man carried her on his back face up
Speaker 1: to the top of the temple. There a priest held
Speaker 1: her by the hair and slit her throat, bathing the
Speaker 1: one who held her in blood. As soon as she
Speaker 1: was dead, she was skinned from her thighs to her elbows,
Speaker 1: and the skin was used to dress the man who
Speaker 1: had carried her up, who again represented the Goddess. He
Speaker 1: then watched a performance of a battle between young men
Speaker 1: dressed for war, in which many were badly wounded. Once
Speaker 1: the combat was over, the sacrifices in hotter of the
Speaker 1: Goddess continued. For this purpose, Wooden steps were built at
Speaker 1: the top of the temple, which the two priest executioners
Speaker 1: climbed up. The man covered with the skin of the
Speaker 1: first victim would be forced up, held in case he resisted,
Speaker 1: and then pushed down the stairs. His throat was then
Speaker 1: slit and his blood was collected in a bowl in
Speaker 1: the same way they sacrificed all the victims dedicated to
Speaker 1: this goddess. The blood of the sacrificial victims was placed
Speaker 1: in a basin, wrapped in multi colored feathers, and set
Speaker 1: before the Mother of the gods. On November eighth, fifteen nineteen,
Speaker 1: the Spanish conqueror Hernan Cortes and his men set foot
Speaker 1: and tinach litiplan for the first time. Astonished by the
Speaker 1: city's finally planned grandeur, they spared no praise in describing it,
Speaker 1: but it's the imposing Templo Mayor that caught their eye.
Speaker 1: Cortes himself noted in his second letter of Relation that
Speaker 1: in spite of the large number of number of temples
Speaker 1: in the city, there is one, the main one, whose
Speaker 1: greatness and features no human tongue can describe. During the
Speaker 1: subsequent siege of Tenatlican, Templo Mayora was badly damaged by
Speaker 1: the cannon the Spanish used to subdue the se After
Speaker 1: the fall of the Aztec capital, the building was not
Speaker 1: immediately demolished. Sources confirm it was still standing as late
Speaker 1: as fifteen twenty four. With the passage of time, all
Speaker 1: traces of the ancient Aztec place of worship disappeared. Workers
Speaker 1: of the new Mexico City used materials from pre existing buildings,
Speaker 1: so little by little, the stones from temples and other
Speaker 1: buildings in the ancient Aztec ceremonial center, including Templo Mayor,
Speaker 1: were taken and used to build sixty eight churches within
Speaker 1: the former boundaries of Tenochtitlan and talat Loco. They were
Speaker 1: also used in the countless houses and structures erected in
Speaker 1: the city center. Since nineteen seventy eight, archeological excavations of
Speaker 1: the ancient temple have revealed more and more of the
Speaker 1: grandeur that was Templo Mayor. They've found palace rooms built
Speaker 1: in baths, the House of the Eagles, the meeting place
Speaker 1: of the military elite, a school for priests, and sculptures
Speaker 1: of snakes and serpents. As excavation work continued, use a
Speaker 1: big mystery remains. Historical records state that the remains of
Speaker 1: three Aztec kings were cremated and their ashes buried at
Speaker 1: the foot of Templo Mayor, and yet no emperor's remains
Speaker 1: have been found. Chief archaeologists Leonardo Lopez Luchhan believes their
Speaker 1: discoveries will point to Ahwitsotl's burial place. We are persuaded
Speaker 1: that sooner or later will find his tomb, he says.
Speaker 1: We're digging deeper and deeper. If and when they do
Speaker 1: succeed in finding the tomb, it will be the culmination
Speaker 1: of decades of work that have shed light on one
Speaker 1: of the world's most legendary and misunderstood empires divine offerings.
Speaker 1: In two thousand and six, a huge monolith dedicated to
Speaker 1: the earth goddess Tlatzla Kutli was discovered in front of
Speaker 1: Templo Mayor. Underneath was a shaft with numerous offerings inside,
Speaker 1: perhaps because the whale was seen as a gateway to
Speaker 1: the Earth's center, Some believe it may even be a tomb,
Speaker 1: although conclusive evidence has not yet been found. The layers
Speaker 1: of Templa Mayor Temple Mayora was expanded to its largest
Speaker 1: around fifteen hundred, when the Aztec Empire was at its height.
Speaker 1: Rulers would sometimes renovate the sacred complex to commemorate victories.
Speaker 1: Work also was carried out because of floods and the
Speaker 1: instability of the ground beneath the foundation. Ever since temple
Speaker 1: Mayor's identification in nineteen seventy eight, archaeologists have thrilled at
Speaker 1: peeling back successive layers to find the earliest phases at
Speaker 1: its heart. The Pyramid of Tenochtylclon was almost constantly under
Speaker 1: renovation from its initial construction in the fourteenth century to
Speaker 1: its destruction in the sixteenth century. Early expansions were begun
Speaker 1: under the first three rulers of Tenatlacan, the Aztec ruse
Speaker 1: to become the region's dominant power under its cotal, who
Speaker 1: greatly enlarged the structure during his reign. His successor, Montezuma
Speaker 1: fourteen forty to fourteen sixty nine, continued expanding the temple.
Speaker 1: This concludes readings from National Geograph Bok History Magazine for today.
Speaker 1: Your reader has been marshall. Thank you for listening, Keep
Speaker 1: on listening, and you have a great day.