LEARN NC

K–12 teaching and learning · from the UNC School of Education

Tula ruins

About this photograph

Creator
Margery H. Freeman
Date created
July 1970
Location
Tula, Mexico
License
This photograph copyright ©2007. Terms of use

Related media

Learn more

In the classroom

  • See our collection of articles on visual literacy for ideas on using photographs meaningfully in the classroom.
Tula ruins

Size: 1024×709

Several stone statues stand in a stone plaza, while the ruins of other statues lie on the ground. The statues represent warriors replete with headdresses and armor.

Tula, or Tollan, is the ancient capital of the pre-Columbian Toltec society. The city was in use from approximately AD 850 to 1150. The original city was larger than three square miles and supported a population larger than ten thousand people. The central plaza of the city has a large stepped pyramid dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl. The pyramids of Tula are highly decorated and include images of humans and animals. The Toltec society inspired the Aztec empire that followed it in both architecture and artistry.