Ancient Pyramid in Mexico Collapses Due to Heavy Rains

A 15-meter tall pyramid of the Michoacan civilization in the Ihuatzio archaeological complex has collapsed due to heavy rains.

This area on the eastern shore of Lake Patzcuaro was inhabited a thousand years ago by the indigenous Tarascan people,as the Spaniards later called them. From 1100 to 1530, the Purepecha Empire, one of the most developed cultures of Mesoamerica, dominated the region. Its center was the city of Tzintzuntzan (now a municipality of the same name in the Mexican state of Michoacan).

In the 14th century, the Indians built two pyramids in honor of the deities Curicaueri and Charantange, where they conducted astronomical observations and sacred rituals. However, at the beginning of the 16th century, the tops of the pyramids collapsed. Local residents perceived this as the wrath of the gods.

Just a few years later, white-faced bearded men arrived on the lands of Michoacan, sailing from beyond the horizon on huge whales. These were the Spanish conquistadors who subjected the Tarascan lands to fire and sword. Legends about how the gods warned the Indians of the impending apocalypse were passed down from generation to generation. And now, 500 years later, the pyramids are collapsing again.

According to reports, only one of the pyramids located on the territory of the complex was damaged. Employees of the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico have established that the collapse occurred in the central part of the southern facade of one of the pyramidal bases, six steps are in a critical condition, and the outer wall, core, and retaining wall have also been damaged. According to experts, the causes of the collapse were the intense heat and subsequent heavy rains: due to the drought, cracks formed in the stones, into which moisture later penetrated.

Local residents, descendants of the Purepecha tribe, considered the incident a bad omen. They believe that by destroying the pyramid, the gods are expressing their displeasure and foreshadowing an impending catastrophe.

The collapsed pyramid was considered one of the best-preserved monuments of the Purepecha culture. It served not only as an architectural and cultural symbol but also as a historical monument, reminding of the struggle of the Purepecha people against the Aztec empire. Currently, the damage is being assessed, and local authorities plan to restore the structure and are raising funds.