Scientists have proposed a new hypothesis to explain the decline of the city of Teotihuacan, which was the center of ancient American civilization. Perhaps he was killed by migrants who came to this metropolis in the hope of a better life.
This is stated in an article by anthropologist Linda Manzanilla of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. It was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The ruins of Teotihuacan are located 50 kilometers from Mexico City. During the heyday of this city, it was inhabited by about 125,000 people, but by the 8th century AD, it was completely abandoned. Scientists are still arguing about the reasons for the decline of Teotihuacan - the author of the article decided to contribute to the discussion by analyzing data on the population of the suburbs of this metropolis.
Judging by the unusual burial rites and the content of strontium isotopes in the remains of many inhabitants, which testifies to their foreign origin, Teotihuacan underwent two waves of migration - in the 1st and 4th centuries AD. They were caused by volcanic eruptions in neighboring areas, whose residents poured into Teotihuacan in search of shelter.
According to the researcher, at least three large suburbs inhabited by migrants have grown near Teotihuacan - in the east, west and southwest. The newcomers were engaged in crafts, making clothes and jewelry from the mineral jadeite. However, the flow of raw materials continued to be controlled by the central government of Teotihuacan.
Migrant riot
As Manzanilla writes, Teotihuacan "needed labor and presented itself as a land of opportunity, but in reality migrants found themselves locked up in suburban centers, spending long hours at work and not seeing the sunlight."
Promotional video:
Eventually, interethnic tensions erupted into a riot around 550 AD. At this time, many temples and administrative buildings were burned, sacred statues were broken. The researcher interprets this event as an uprising of the suburbs, whose elites were dissatisfied with the dominance of the central government.