Tula

A couple of weeks ago (yes, I know I'm slow) Zoe and I took a trip to Tula as this is one of the items on her list of things to do/see/eat before she leaves Mexico at the end of this month (noooooooo!!!) Sadly I am rarely the initiator of an archeological site trip (I call it "more into art and modern history" others may call it "pleb") so if this blog is lacking in detail I do apologise.


Tula (originally Tollan) was once the capital of the Toltec - those believed to have inhabitated and dominated pre-Columbian central Mexico between the 10th and 12th Century AD. I say 'believed' because Wikipedia considers the Toltec "possibly real and possibly fictional" (not that I would ever use such a lazy and unrealiable source as wiki for my blog.) However my guide book and those handy information boards around the ruins present the Toltec and its tradditions as historical facts so I shall proceed in this manner.


Anyway back to Tula: What I most liked about it and what it is most famous for are its Atlantean colossal statues (gigantes) that were originally used as columns to support a temple on top of what is now one of the site's pyramids. They are 15 feet tall and make still make a striking impression despite having been thrown down a ramp when Tollan was destroyed (possibly by the Chichimec [no tengo ni idea! Research it at your own risk.])

On the site there are also ruins of a palace...
...an altar (TA-DAA!)...


...another temple...

...and, of course, a reference to sacrfice (on the serpent wall surrounding a small plaza) with images of snakes devouring human skulls.

There is also an ancient ball court (the largest in central Mexico) but this was undergoing restoration on our visit so I was unable to see it.

All in all it was a good day and I am pleased to have seen the site and been on a pyramid viewing venture since I do live in Mexico and am well aware how proud many of the Mexicans I have met are of their ancient culture.