Aztec Sun Stone

Timeline

1. c. 1502–1521Tenochtitlan · MexicoThe Sun Stone was carved from a single block of basalt, 3.58 m in diameter, about 98 cm thick, and roughly 24 tons in weight. At its center is the face of the sun god Tonatiuh, surrounded by symbols of five cosmic eras (Five Suns), the twenty day names, and two fire serpents, forming a complete cosmic calendar image. Given the scale of the work, it is presumed to have been produced by professional craftsmen organized by the state.
2. 1511–1520Templo Mayor plaza, Tenochtitlan · MexicoThe Sun Stone was installed in the plaza of the Templo Mayor as the central ritual image object of religious ceremonies, closely tied to Aztec sun worship. Between 1511 and 1520, as the empire reached its peak, the cosmic order and sacred kingship represented by the Sun Stone were used to reinforce the legitimacy of Moctezuma II's rule.
3. 1521Ruins of Tenochtitlan (beneath today's Zócalo, Mexico City) · MexicoAfter the Spanish conquerors destroyed Tenochtitlan, the Sun Stone was buried beneath the ruins. During colonial construction, a cathedral and government buildings were erected on the site, and the Sun Stone remained buried underground for over 250 years, disappearing entirely from public view.
4. 1790National Museum of Anthropology, Mexico City · MexicoOn December 17, 1790, workers rediscovered the Sun Stone while repairing Mexico City's main plaza. Scholars then carried out in-depth study of its imagery, confirming its calendrical and cosmological significance. In 1885 the Sun Stone was transferred to the National Museum of Anthropology, becoming one of the museum's most important holdings and an iconic symbol of Mexican national identity.