Proceedings of the 12th International INQUA meeting on paleoseismology, active tectonic and archaeoseismology

374 1 2 T H I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N Q U A M E E T I N G O N PA L E O S E I S M O L O G Y , A C T I V E T E C T O N I C S A N D A R C H A E O S E I S M O L O G Y ( PATA ) , O C T O B E R 6 T H - 1 1 T H , 2 0 2 4 , L O S A N D E S , C H I L E PATA Days 2024 K E Y W O R D S Archaeoseismology, megaearthquakes, Teotihuacan, Earthquake Archaeological Effects, Mexico (1) Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, IGME (CSIC), C/ Ríos Rosas 23, 28003 Madrid, Spain (2) Dpto. de Historia y Arqueología, Universidad de Barcelona, 08001 Barcelona, Spain. (3) Dpto. de Geología, Universidad de Salamanca, Escuela Politécnica Superior, 05003 Ávila, Spain (4) Dpto. de Geología y Geoquímica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain. (5) Dpto. de Ciencias de la Tierra y del Medio Ambiente. Universidad de Alicante. S. Vicente del Raspeig. Spain (6) Dpto. de Edafología, E.T.S.I. Agrónomo, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain. (7) Universidad Michoacana San Nicolás de Hidalgo. Morelia, México. *Email: r.perez@igme.es, ma.rodriguez@igme.es, ma.perucha@igme. es / nataliamoragas@ub.edu / pgsilva@usal.es, j.elez@usal.es / jorge. giner@uam.es / adria.ramos@ua.es / isaisrade@gmail.com Raúl Pérez-López (1) Natalia Moragas-Segura (2) Miguel A. Rodríguez-Pascua (1) Pablo G. Silva (3) Jorge L. Giner-Robles (4) Javier Elez (3) Adrià Ramos (5) María A. Perucha (1) Elvira Roquero (6) Isabel Israde-Alcántara (7) Víctor H. Garduño-Monroy (7) TEOTIHUACAN (MEXICO) ARCHAEOSEISMIC TIMELINE DURING THE EARLY CLASSIC PERIOD A B S T R A C T Teotihuacan, a flourishingculture inpre-HispanicMesoamerica, thrived in the Central Valley of Mexico. However, around 550 CE, signs of decline became apparent, with a notable decrease in urban population and selective destruction of buildings. An in- depth examination of building damage in the pyramids uncovered evidence of Earthquake Archaeological Effects (EAEs), suggesting a potential link to seismic activity. Particularly, the west staircase of the Temple of the Feathered Serpent exhibited damage patterns indicative of significant ground shaking. We suggest the occurrence of five ancient earthquakes spanning from the Tzacualli (1-100 CE) to the Xolalpan–Metepec periods (450-550 CE). This leads to the consideration those megathrust earthquakes (Mw > 8.5) originating from the Middle American Trench might have contributed to the Teotihuacan history. On the other hand, this proposal does not discount other theories regarding Teotihuacan's abrupt collapse; rather, it suggests that the convergence of natural disasters, such as earthquakes, could have intensified internal conflicts, uprisings, and civil unrest.