The Mystery of Cholula, the Largest Pyramid in the World
The study of pyramids, built in the distant past by various peoples living in different parts of the world, is fascinating not only from a historical and architectural perspective but also for understanding their customs, religious beliefs, and worldview.
The most well-known pyramids are undoubtedly the Egyptian ones, especially those on the Giza Plateau. However, many ancient cultures worldwide built pyramids, such as the Chinese pyramids in Xi’an, the Peruvian pyramids in Caral or Tucumé, and the Mesoamerican pyramids, including the Maya pyramids of Tikal, Uxmal, and Palenque, as well as the famous Pyramids of the Sun and Moon in Teotihuacan.
Curiously, the Cholula Pyramid (also known as Tlachihualtepetl), the largest pyramid in the world, is almost ignored in TV programs about South American history and in specialized publications.
The pyramid, which is 66 meters tall and has a square base measuring 400 meters, is the largest by volume in the world, with a staggering 4,450,000 cubic meters.
For comparison, the Great Pyramid of Giza has a volume of “only” 2,500,000 cubic meters.
The name Cholula means “water that falls in the place of life.” According to mythology, it was built by the giant Xelhua, who managed to survive the Great Flood.
Here is an excerpt from the book Cholula 2000: Tradition and Culture by writer Rodolfo Herrera Charolet (1995):
During the time of the flood, giants lived on Earth, but many of them perished in the rising waters. Some were turned into fish, and only seven brothers survived by sheltering in caves on Mount Tlaloc. The giant Xelhua traveled to the place later known as Cholollan and began building the pyramid using large bricks made in distant Tlalmanalco, in memory of the mountain that saved him. However, Tonacatecutli, the Father of the Gods, grew angry upon seeing the immense construction, which could reach the clouds. He unleashed tongues of fire and, with a massive stone shaped like a toad, crushed many workers and drove away the survivors, causing the construction to be abandoned...
The Cholula Pyramid is, in fact, the result of six different constructions layered over centuries. According to recent studies conducted on-site, its construction began during the Preclassic Period (1800 BCE–200 CE), in the era of the Olmecs.
By around 100 CE, the Cholula Pyramid was used by the people of Teotihuacan for both ritual and ceremonial purposes.
It is estimated that the urban complex surrounding the pyramid housed nearly 100,000 inhabitants around 200 CE, making it the second-largest city in Mesoamerica after Teotihuacan.
The area was abandoned around 800 CE following the decline of Teotihuacan. Subsequently, the pyramid was used by Toltec and Chichimec ethnic groups. Later, under Aztec rule in Mexico, it was dedicated to the worship of Quetzalcoatl.
After the Spanish conquest of Mexico, a Catholic church was built atop the pyramid in 1594 to assert Christianity over local religious practices.
The first archaeologist to thoroughly study the pyramid was Swiss researcher Adolph Bandelier in 1881. He uncovered many human remains in Teotihuacan-style burials, as well as a significant amount of ceramics, also attributed to Teotihuacan.
In 1931, architect Ignacio Marquina oversaw excavations to open tunnels beneath the pyramid. By 1951, approximately 6 kilometers of tunnels had been excavated, forming a true labyrinth.
During this initial excavation period, large quantities of ceramics from the Tula and Teotihuacan cultures were unearthed, along with musical instruments such as flutes.
A second excavation period took place from 1966 to 1974, led by Miguel Messmacher, but no main burial chamber was discovered.
Today, the mystery of Cholula—namely, who the true builders of this imposing structure were—remains unsolved. Further excavation work has been halted, as it could threaten the stability of the entire pyramid and because the Catholic church built by the Spanish on its summit has been declared a national heritage site, making any intervention on its foundations prohibited.
We know that legends often contain a kernel of truth: could Xelhua have been a real historical figure who, like Viracocha or Quetzalcoatl, succeeded in founding a new civilization and built the pyramid as a symbol of his power?
YURI LEVERATTO
