A Vital Matters Perspective: Archaeology, Discovery, and the Coyolxauhqui at th
Archaeology, Discovery, and the Coyolxauhqui at the Temple Mayor
Matthew Robb discusses the Coyolxauhqui Stone, a monumental carving discovered in 1978 that confirmed the location of the Aztec Templo Mayor in Mexico City. Depicting the moon goddess Coyolxauhqui, the stone embodies both myth—her cosmic battle with her brother Huitzilopochtli—and history, reflecting 15th-century political tensions between Tenochtitlan and Tlatelolco. The stone’s placement and symbolism offer insight into Aztec cosmology, gendered power dynamics, and how myth and historical narrative were intertwined in sacred architecture.

