Protected as an archaeological zone, Cerro de Moctezuma holds secrets of Mexico’s past. This hill resides in Naucalpan near Mexico City. It offers a green space amid urban development. Cerro de Moctezuma covers 91000 square meters.
Imagine walking these slopes long ago. The Preclassic and Postclassic periods left their mark here. Archaeologists found calendar petroglyphs. They also uncovered wall foundations from a Mexica observatory or shrine. Sadly much has been looted or destroyed over decades.
Local movements have protected Cerro de Moctezuma for three decades. They have prevented houses from being built in the protected area. This effort preserves a vital piece of history.
Consider Moctezuma himself. Legend says he bathed and meditated in a Chapultepec pond. But that story might be misleading. Research suggests the pond was part of a 19th-century spa. The elite enjoyed its supposed healing waters. This spa was next to a pre-Hispanic pond. That location likely started the story of Moctezuma’s baths.
An archaeologist clarifies the confusion. The “alberca de Moctezuma” is at the foot of Chapultepec hill. This spring fed Tenochtitlan and supplied water to the “baños de Moctezuma.” The latter was south of the hill. There’s no proof that the pre-Hispanic container was Moctezuma’s baths. But it continued use during the colonial period. It supplied water to haciendas south of Chapultepec.
In the late 1800s public baths became popular. José Amor y Escandón built the Casa Baños de Chapultepec. It opened in 1870. Quickly it became a favorite spot for the Porfiriato’s high society.
However the spa declined after a decade. By 1910 the building was torn down. Only the pre-Hispanic container remained. It began to be seen as a vestige of Moctezuma’s baths. In 2018 excavations revealed parts of the 19th-century spa structure.
Archaeologist Edgar Arias described the finds. Historical sources and archaeological evidence showed water conduits. These led from the Espinosa box to the Chapultepec baths.
The finds included four linear meters of pipe. They supplied water to different ponds. Small channels divided three containers. Each container was six meters long and 4.5 meters wide. The floor was 90 centimeters deep. There was no evidence linking them to Moctezuma’s mythical baths.
Today Cerro de Moctezuma faces threats from real estate developers. It is vital to preserve this archaeological zone. It reminds us of Mexico’s layered history. It connects pre-Hispanic times to more recent eras.