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Geospatial and Symbolic Hypothesis for the Foundation of Tenochtitlan Based on Digital Elevation Analysis of the Valley of Mexico

Jose Alberto Baeza Guerra

TL;DR

This study combines digital elevation modeling with Mexica symbolism to reassess the Valley of Mexico’s ancient geography and the foundation of Tenochtitlan. By simulating multiple historical lake levels using EarthExplorer data, it identifies Shoreline-based settlements and proposes Santa Maria Aztahuacan as a candidate for Aztlan, integrating iconography from Codex Boturini and Codex Mendoza. It also links a 1325 solar eclipse to a founding omen and outlines geodetic alignments that position Templo Mayor as the cosmological center. The work offers an interdisciplinary framework that reinterprets origin myth, sacred geography, and urban layout, contributing to debates on Mexica migration and founding narratives.

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel hypothesis about the foundation of Tenochtitlan by combining digital elevation modeling with historical and symbolic analysis. Using geospatial data from EarthExplorer, we simulate various historical water levels in the Valley of Mexico. The resulting lake configurations reveal possible locations for ancient settlements near now-vanished shorelines, suggesting a dynamic transformation of sacred geography that aligns with key Mexica myths. We identify Santa María Aztahuacan as a strong candidate for the historical Aztlan and propose a reinterpretation of foundational codices in light of geomythical correlations.

Geospatial and Symbolic Hypothesis for the Foundation of Tenochtitlan Based on Digital Elevation Analysis of the Valley of Mexico

TL;DR

This study combines digital elevation modeling with Mexica symbolism to reassess the Valley of Mexico’s ancient geography and the foundation of Tenochtitlan. By simulating multiple historical lake levels using EarthExplorer data, it identifies Shoreline-based settlements and proposes Santa Maria Aztahuacan as a candidate for Aztlan, integrating iconography from Codex Boturini and Codex Mendoza. It also links a 1325 solar eclipse to a founding omen and outlines geodetic alignments that position Templo Mayor as the cosmological center. The work offers an interdisciplinary framework that reinterprets origin myth, sacred geography, and urban layout, contributing to debates on Mexica migration and founding narratives.

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel hypothesis about the foundation of Tenochtitlan by combining digital elevation modeling with historical and symbolic analysis. Using geospatial data from EarthExplorer, we simulate various historical water levels in the Valley of Mexico. The resulting lake configurations reveal possible locations for ancient settlements near now-vanished shorelines, suggesting a dynamic transformation of sacred geography that aligns with key Mexica myths. We identify Santa María Aztahuacan as a strong candidate for the historical Aztlan and propose a reinterpretation of foundational codices in light of geomythical correlations.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 10 sections, 3 figures.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Methodology
  3. Data and Tools
  4. Results: Ancient Settlements and Shorelines
  5. Aztahuacan as Aztlan
  6. Symbolic Geography and Myth
  7. The Myth of Huitzilopochtli: A Brief Narration
  8. Astronomical Marker: The 1325 Eclipse
  9. Interpreting the Codex Mendoza
  10. Conclusion

Figures (3)

  • Figure 1: Simulation of the lake at 2257 meters above sea level. Ancient settlements appear near the shoreline.
  • Figure 2: Lake at 2243 meters. New islands emerge, including Huitzilopochco.
  • Figure 3: Symbolic geodetic lines intersecting at the Templo Mayor. Numbers indicate: (1) Cerro de la Estrella (Culhuacan), (2) Tenayuca, (3) Tepeyac, (4) island of Huitzilopochco, (5) intersection at the Templo Mayor.