[Aztlan] POSSIBLE CONFUSION OVER TEOTIHUACAN TUNNELS OR CAVES

Wed Jul 9 11:31:29 CDT 2008

René Millon summarized much of the data surrounding the cave under the Pyramid of the Sun in his 1981 essay, "Teotihuacan: State, Society, and Civilization for the HMAI ("Supplement 1"). I quote some passages here: 

"New evidence has come from the accidental discovery in 1971 or earlier of a cave 100m long, running in an easterly direction 6m beneath the Pyramid of the Sun. Its entrance is in the center of the pyramid's central staircase, only the first three steps of which remain (Heyden 1973, 1975; Baker et al. 1974)." 

Millon goes on to state that the cave "is a natural formation within the lava flow (Heyden 195:131), but its form was altered by the Teotihuacanos . . . " and was used throughout the Tzacualli phase (ca. 1st century AD). Numerous barriers (17-19) had been erected through the length of the tunnel. The data surrounding these barriers and various materials found in the chambers formed by them is sadly lacking, but what information there is pointed to use through to the 2nd century. 

Apparently relying on (Baker et al. 1974), Millon describes Jorge Acosta's fairly extensive excavations in the central chamber - "reportedly down to bedrock, 1.8 m below the cave floor at its deepest point." A great deal of evidence suggests that whatever rituals surrounded this cave/tunnel involved water management (drainage stones, fish bones). Sadly, Acosta died before he could publish this data.

Thus ends my extremely brief summary of this portion of Millon's extremely good essay.

As far as I know, the earliest 'official' publication of the tunnel was Doris
Heyden's 1973 write up for INAH's Boletin. I do not have a copy handy
and would welcome a description. If anyone has a copy of the Baker et al 1974 report that could potentially also be very informative. I would imagine that there might have
been press coverage as well. I had always heard the tunnel was
discovered accidentally as part of the installation of the luz y sonido
program but have never been able to confirm this rumor.

I do not think that there are two separate tunnel/caves under the Pyramid of the Sun. As Kim noted, the 'natural' cave with 'artificial' modifications that Millon and Heyden described is now understood as entirely the product of human labor and not a natural formation at all (Ivan Sprjac's 2000 essay may be the most accessible reference for this & has the refs to Linda Manzanilla's project; see below).

Matthew Robb

	* Astronomical Alignments at Teotihuacan, Mexico
	* Author(s): Ivan Šprajc
	* Source: Latin American Antiquity, Vol. 11, No. 4  (Dec., 2000), pp. 403-415
	* Publisher: Society for American Archaeology
	* Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/972004

----- Original Message ----
From: John B. Carlson <Tlaloc at umd.edu>
To: michael ruggeri <michaelruggeri at mac.com>; aztlan at lists.famsi.org
Sent: Wednesday, July 9, 2008 12:29:22 AM
Subject: Re: [Aztlan] POSSIBLE CONFUSION OVER TEOTIHUACAN TUNNELS OR CAVES

Hello Mike,

I think there is still a lot of misinformation out there regarding 
the "cave" or "tunnel" beneath the Pyramid of the Sun. I believe the 
confusion persists. Perhaps you or someone (Kim?)  could cite the 
relevant publications or notices that clarify this situation 
regarding TWO caves or tunnels. The one that I know about, and have 
been inside of, was found in modern times, around 1970, I believe. (I 
haven't checked my notes, but I believe the exact date of discovery 
is not precisely known... at least it is not in print.) It was first 
described by my friend and colleague, the late Doris Heyden. The 
"cave" had been entered and looted in ancient times, including 
"explorations" by the "Aztecs", as well as in the 20th century. In my 
mind there is still a question as to what aspects of this "cave" were 
natural and what parts were modified by the Teotihuacanos, because it 
clearly had been heavily worked. It has never been properly studied 
with full archaeological investigations and reports and the results 
of the current project(s) will be most welcome. There are several 
hypotheses that have been proposed as to the function of this cave 
and new results will help to test them, I am sure.

Yes, there are 20th-century archaeological tunnels in the pyramid, 
but I am not sure that the details of the several projects -- in 
progress now -- have been sorted out yet by what has been said. I 
hope someone who knows can clarify this.

And Mike... thanks for all of your great reporting for the AZTLAN 
list. What you do is greatly appreciated,

John Carlson

At 7:31 PM -0500 7/8/08, michael ruggeri wrote:
>Listeros,
>
>The recent exchanges about the Teotihuacan tunnel below the Pyramid 
>of the Sun created some understandable confusion. There are two 
>tunnels in question. One is the 330 foot lava tube below the pyramid 
>which has always been open for investigation. Even as we speak, there 
>is a muon detector in place in that cave trying to ascertain whether 
>there might be other hidden chambers within the pyramid. They were 
>having trouble with the equipment and there has not been a report on 
>the findings yet.
>
>And then there is another tunnel below the pyramid which is 200 feet 
>long which Kim has told us is man made and which is now opened after 
>30 years and is being investigated.
>
>These are two different tunnels in question.
>
>Kim may be able to give us further info on the muon detector experiment.
>
>Mike Ruggeri
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