ZONA ARQUEOLÓGICA DE TULA

As in Teotihuacán, the urbanistic organization of the complex responds to a division into corporatist quarters, each with its small ceremonial center (pyramid and temple, ball game) and residential units more or less spacious according to the rank of the family. Streets and cobbled squares connected the whole, as well as the districts between them. Between 900 and 1150, the city reached an extension of 18 km2. The monumental complex, which can be visited today, is built on an artificial terrace that houses administrative and ceremonial buildings. The Atlanteans are the main attraction of the archaeological zone of Tula. They were discovered in 1940 by the archaeologist Jorge Acosta and are located at the top of the Temple of Tlahuizcalpantecutli, from where one has a view of the main square of the archaeological zone. They are basalt stone sculptures of just over 4 meters in height that represent warriors wearing butterfly-shaped pectoral shields, crowns of feathers and weapons. There are a total of 4 sculptures and each one is made of 4 blocks of stone. In addition to the Atlanteans, the archaeological zone is composed of the famous bas-reliefs of the wall of the Serpents (Coatepantli), the Central Altar, pyramids, the Palacio Quemado, several juegos de pelota, and a tzompantli, altar where the still bloody heads of the prisoners who had been sacrificed to honor the gods were exposed.