Part 1 --- Before the walk

When was this and that?

　Teotihuacan has received the greatest amount of excavation funding of all of Mexico's ancient ruins. Interest in it continues to this day, and it's said that the number of papers published by the many scholars is now too great for any one person to read.

　The most important question in a paper is, "To what period does this building, or this mural, or this vessel belong?" In the history of Teotihuacan excavations, dating of the pottery unearthed plays a major role. Radiocarbon-14 analysis is also performed, but detailed dating is not yet possible.

　For example, it may be announced that "measurements of burnt organic matter near this vessel dated to 357 AD ± 61 years." This means "296 AD-418 AD." The margin of error is not small.

　From a variety of perspectives, archaeologists have determined that they can divide the eras into 50-year increments. They have then given these periods names, such as the Tzacuari period and the Tlaimimilolpa period. As usual, scholars differ by about 50 years in the start and end years of this period. I respect academic theories, but they're confusing. Therefore, this site has decided to display the dates in the Gregorian calendar, which is roughly a 100-year unit, so that while they're "not far from the truth," they're not far off.

　By the way, there is one confirmed Gregorian calendar year. The year of 378 AD inscribed on Stela 31 at the Tikal ruins, 1,000 km away, casts a strong, yet distant light on Teotihuacan.

　One theory reports that around 350 AD, the exterior walls of the central temple/residence building began to be painted red, and murals began to be painted on the interior walls of the central temple/residence and nearby apartment buildings. Around the same time, the two pyramids, which had been expanded approximately every 50 years until then, stopped undergoing major additions. I feel that this social change is deeply connected to the events of 378 AD.