ABSTRACT
The history of archaeological investigations at Teotihuacan dates back to the late 1800s with the early work of Desire Charnay and Leopoldo Batres. The latter began his disastrous explorations resulting in the destruction of parts of monuments and loss of data. Pottery and obsidian moved great distances; close parallels are found in the pot-bellied sculptured monuments, ceremonial complexes, details of 3-pronged censers, and figurine styles, believed to reflect household ritual. The Maya of the southern lowlands developed indigenous patterns simultaneously with the highland and Pacific coast Maya. Many basic religious concepts were shared and both Izapa and the carved monuments of the southeastern highlands were inspirational. The practice of building and renovating directly over earlier structures provides a fine opportunity to detect long sequences of construction. Changes and new constructions can be dated by associated inscriptions, ceramic remains, caches, placement of monuments, and burials.
