Pyramid of the Moon rebuilt at least six times; tombs held sacrifice offerings

October 15, 2026MexicoArchitectureShare

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Key facts

• The Pyramid of the Moon stands at the northern terminus of the Avenue of the Dead and is Teotihuacan's second largest pyramid
• It was constructed between 100 and 450 CE, with major construction phases between 250 and 400 CE
• It underwent at least six distinct renovations, each enlarging the structure and burying the previous building; each is thought to have been triggered by changes in rulership or religious emphasis
• It reaches about 64 m at its highest point on a base roughly 150 m per side
• It uses the talud-tablero style, with sloped walls (talud) and vertical panels (tablero), and its design mimics nearby Cerro Gordo mountain
• In the Plaza of the Moon, an original altar with four rectangular and diagonal bodies forms the Teotihuacan cross, representing the four cardinal directions plus a central axis
• A tomb dedicated to the fifth construction phase contained four human skeletons, animal bones, jewelry and obsidian blades
• A tomb dedicated to the Great Goddess held one male sacrificial victim with remains of wolf, jaguar, puma, serpent and bird, plus more than 400 artifacts including greenstone and obsidian figurines, ceremonial knives and spear points
• Sacrifices were also performed on the pyramid's summit platform before crowds in the plaza below, in honor of the Great Goddess associated with water, fertility, earth and creation

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