The Pyramid of the Sun was begun in Teotihuacan’s Tzacualli phase (c. 1–150 CE) and enlarged around 200 CE. General summaries describe two main construction phases, while one excavation sequence identifies three stages—not five. The video argues that the deepest courses were more precisely fitted than later reconstructions, but that is not an established archaeological finding. It also presents claims about uniquely tight joints behind the Temple of the Feathered Serpent, cement outlasting modern concrete, and a flood-like 1884 burial layer that the cited sources do not verify. Builders hauled basalt and andesite by human labor, using ropes and wooden rollers or sledges rather than wheels or pulleys.
Pyramid of the Sun: two main phases; video argues oldest masonry was more precise
MexicoArchitecture
Site mentioned
Key facts
- General summaries describe two main construction phases, while the detailed excavation sequence cited defines three stages; the cited sources do not support five distinct stacked phases.
- The pyramid was begun in the Tzacualli phase (c. 1–150 CE), reached near its present size around 200 CE, and was enlarged again around 250 CE.
- The video argues that the deepest courses were fitted more precisely than later reconstructions; the cited archaeology does not establish that the earliest work was more sophisticated.
- The pyramid combines stone with earthen or rubble fill and a plaster facing, and substantial parts of the visible exterior are modern reconstruction.
- The video claims that restricted areas behind the Temple of the Feathered Serpent contain unusually fine, tightly jointed andesite; the cited sources do not verify that comparison.
- Teotihuacan used lime-based plaster and mortar; the cited research does not demonstrate that its cement outlasted modern concrete.
- Builders moved basalt and andesite by human labor with ropes and wooden rollers or sledges; wheeled vehicles and pulleys were not used.
- The video cites an 1884 excavation account describing up to 12 feet of compact earth over the pyramids and interprets the uniform layer as flood-laid alluvium; the flood interpretation is not established by the cited archaeology.
Sources
Then and Now: Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacan, Mexicoespc.substack.com
The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacan, and one of the largest in Mesoamerica. It is believed to have been constructed about 200 CE.
Pyramid of the Sunen.wikipedia.org
The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacan, and one of the largest in Mesoamerica. It is believed to have been constructed about 200 AD.
Pyramidsancientengrtech.wisc.edu
The Pyramid of the Sun was built in the Tzacualli Phase, and is thought to be one of the earliest monumental structures built in Teotihuacan. The pyramid is ...
The Temple of the Sunhistoricalmx.org
The most imposing structure at the site of Teotihuacan is the Pyramid of the Sun. It is the third largest pyramid in the world at 65 meters in height.
Pyramid of the Moon and Pyramid of the Sun, Teotihuacansmarthistory.org
The Pyramid of the Moon and Pyramid of the Sun are massive architectural constructions that tell us a lot about Teotihuacan culture.
Teotihuacan: Pyramids of the Sun and the Moonmetmuseum.org
The location and orientation of this cave may have been the impetus for the Pyramid of the Sun's alignment and construction.
Constructionancientengrtech.wisc.edu
Major construction began in Teotihuacan in the Tzacualli Phase (1-150 AD). ... In this phase the Sun Pyramid and Building 1 of the Moon Pyramid were constructed.
Inside the Sun Pyramid at Teotihuacan, Mexicoresearchgate.net
We define three stages in the construction sequence of the Sun Pyramid: (1) a Pre-Sun Pyramid phase, (2) the establishment of the main corpus ...
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