A structure at the Ihuatzio (lit. “Land of the Coyotes”) archaeological site in the state of Michoacán has recently been exposed to heat, causing cracks to seep into its interior.
July 29 During the night, the pyramid was flooded by heavy rains, which, according to Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), caused the central part of the pyramid’s southern facade to fall.
The institution’s experts quickly set about solving the problem.
“From the early hours of July 30 morning staff arrived at the heritage site to assess the damage,” INAH said in a statement.
The Ihuatzio site at its peak covered an area of approximately 150 hectares and contained at least 84 structures, seven of which are still on display in the archaeological park. Settlement in 900 AD first occupied by Nahuatl-speaking groups, but its glory days began between 1200 and 1521, when it was the first seat of the Purepecha Empire.
This civilization was a contemporary and main rival of the mighty Aztec Empire. There were many battles between these two Mesoamerican states, but the Purepec remained one of the few indigenous groups in the region that the Aztecs were unable to defeat.
The pyramid structures in the Ihuatzio area were sacred sites, likely used for spiritual rituals and ceremonies. They also played a certain political role and were a powerful symbol of cultural power and authority.
The Purepec still live in parts of the state of Michoacán in western Mexico. They say that according to their historical traditions, the collapse of the structure could be considered a sign of impending doom.
Tariakuiri Alvarez, who referred to the pyramid’s builders as ancestors in a Facebook post, described how it would have been considered a bad omen, indicating “that some unfortunate event was coming.”
“Before the arrival of the conquistadors, according to historical evidence, something similar happened in the Purepecha world at that time, because the gods were displeased,” the translated post reads.
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2024-08-15 17:36:13