Top 9 Interesting Facts about Museo de los Murales Teotihuacanos

Tepantitla-Mountain-of-Abundance mural photo by Robin Heyworth-Wikimedia

Top 9 Interesting Facts about Museo de los Murales Teotihuacán’s

The Teotihuacan Murals Museum is situated on the western edge of the archaeological zone of Teotihuacan, Mexico.

The museum is a center that protects and displays several mural fragments excavated at Teotihuacan.

Upon discovery, the murals were left in situ in the apartments but they soon attracted a dark cloud of greed from humans leading to many lootings, some were later repatriated back to Mexico.

The museum is a sight of wonder and the murals emphasize the aspects of Teotihuacan culture.

The museum gives ground that nurtures the culture of the past Mexicans and the beauty displayed through portraits and paintings of animals tells a story that couldn’t be contained in history.

Here are the top 9 interesting facts about Museo de Los Murales Teotihuacán.

1.The murals were centered around animals

Animals played a significant role in not only Mesoamerican art but also in Teotihuacan.

The most repetitive theme is animal art including the netted Jaguar, the eagle, the coyote, the butterfly, and the quetzal bird. What catches the eye upon entering the mural museum is the deputation of a bird in song.

The wings of the bird outstretch, and a spiral emerges from its mouth, making experts conclude that the bird is blissfully singing.

Some footprints encircle the bird which is deducted by researchers to be human footprints, this gives the image the impression that the bird is dancing.

The museum also shows cases of other animal murals of coyotes, Jaguars, and butterflies. The animals are frequent in many of the mural’s art and form part of a procession one after the other in a line with the Teotihuacan’s were believed to consider animals active participants in society.

Evidence from archaeological excavations proves that the animals were considered significant enough to be included in sacrificial offerings as well as frequently buried with people of high social ranks.

2.The museum displays murals of ancient clothing of priests

The murals of Teotihuacan depict a fascinating idea of the clothing worn by cabinet people of Teotihuacan.

The second mural of the museum shows a priest holding an incense bag and appears to be impersonating a deity.

The priest of the ancient Teotihuacan city often took on the persona of a deity to plead for their favor or intervention.

3.The last mural in the museum has depictions of natural resources

The last mural in the Teotihuacan Mural Museum portrays a rich painting of a descending winged individual or deity, surrounded by plants and animals.

The people of Tlatelolco valued all elements of the natural world especially plants and animals, and they expressed the significance of the murals left behind in their past.

4.Nano Technology was used to restore the murals

Murales_de_Palacio_Nacional photo by J Mndz-Wikimedia

Teotihuacan murals are relics of ancient civilization and the artwork expressed through the murals gives an insight into the values and beliefs of ancient Teotihuacan.

The excavation of murals began in the earliest mid-20th century, after decades of minor archaeological efforts as well as looting.

As a result of the large looting of the murals for personal gain, many of the murals are in fragments.

Despite cheating the wear of time, the murals undergo a certain form of decay, and to prevent the historic relic from perishing, specialists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History have successfully used Nanotechnology to restore the murals.

The technique used to restore the murals use calcium Hydroxide nanoparticles, which trap pigments keeping them away from falling.

5.The Murals of the museum were once privately owned

the mural the victory feast, where there are dancers, dignitaries, and musicians photo by Dennis Jarvis-Wikimedia

In 1960 the murals of Teotihuacan were illegally moved off-site from their century-old habitat to the private collection of American Herald Wagner’s estate. Upon his death, he bequeathed the murals to the de young museum in San Fransisco in his will.

In Wagner’s possession were over seventy painted wall fragments from the ancient civilization of the Aztec empire.

6.The museum has a Mural fragment depicting the Bloodletting ritual

The museum also contains mural fragments through its monumental architecture. One such fragment is the bloodletting ritual, which shows a priest walking or dancing in profile and adorned with a headdress and costume.

His scroll is also decorated with seashells and plants leading to the conclusion that he was praying for water and agricultural prosperity.

7.The Murals revolved around two major ancient gods

the Great Goddess ,Tepantitla palace, Teotihuacan photo by Escocia1-Wikimedia

The several murals present at the Tlatelolco site which were excavated were major of religious nature and the images displayed depict and focus on the two major gods of the indigenous people of Teotihuacan.

The two revered gods were, a Male deity referred to as the storm God and, a female goddess referred to as the great goddess of Teotihuacan.

The image of the goddess was discovered in 1942 and is portrayed as having a fierce animal-like image and this can be noted throughout most murals.

8.The museum has mural fragments displaying end of cycle of time

In the Teotihuacan calendar one every fifty-two years, which is equivalent to a century in the ancient calendar of Teotihuacan.

The mural fragment takes one through time as it portrays a priest who stands before a tied bundle of reeds, representing the completion of a cycle of time.

The bundle is impaled by the spiny points of Maguey catiys leaves, which the priest proceeds to prick himself to provide a blood offering.

The mural fragment also depicts water symbols in the shape of shells and flowers within the speech cascading from the priest’s mouths.

The priest holds an incense bag and he sprinkles flowers and water from his hands. The image is repetitive in most of the murals fragments displayed in the museum as it signifies a form of prayer of thanksgiving and for renewal of agricultural fertility.

9.The museum is next to the pyramid of the moon

The pyramid of the moon is the second largest pyramid in Mesoamerica, after the pyramid of the sun. The pyramid is found in the western part of the ancient city of Teotihuacan.

The pyramid had several religious functions such as public ritual sacrifice and a great number of sacrificed remains were excavated.