As we will explain in our upcoming post about the area’s prehistory, there was a time when the original territory was not suitable for stable human settlements. However, as the lake environment transformed, various civilizations began to leave their mark. Starting from the Classic (200 – 650 AD) and Epiclassic (650 – 900 AD) periods, the eastern shores of Iztapalapa received direct influence from the great capitals of central Mexico.
Below, we explore exactly which cultures inhabited Santa María Aztahuacán and how they transformed this marshy landscape into an agricultural engine.
The Mark of Teotihuacán: Pottery and the Fertility Cycle
During its peak, the metropolis of Teotihuacán radiated its commercial and ideological dominance throughout the Basin of Mexico. Peripheral communities that managed to settle in the slightly elevated areas near Santa María Aztahuacán and the Santa Martha volcanoes quickly assimilated Teotihuacán patterns.
The contributions of this influence included:
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Material culture: The adoption of polished red pottery and the use of wind instruments (terracotta whistles and figurines) for propitiatory rituals.
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Agricultural worldview: The implementation of the Teotihuacán ritual calendar.
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The festival of the sprouts: The celebration of the spring equinox (ue-izkal-ilhuitl), vital for marking the rebirth of aquatic flora and the optimal time for planting after winter.
The Toltec Diaspora and Chichimeca Militarization
After the collapse of the Teotihuacán state, the power vacuum in the Early Postclassic period (900 – 1200 AD) attracted new migratory waves.
The Toltec Masters
The Toltec Empire, governed from Tula, penetrated the lake system through trade routes. Their legacy in Santa María Aztahuacán materialized in unprecedented pottery sophistication. The artisans behind these works were known as toltecatl, an honorary title designating great masters of art and refinement.
The Arrival of the Chichimecas
Between the years 1450 and 1500, the Santa Martha and Santa María Aztahuacán area functioned as a transit and settlement territory for semi-nomadic factions from the north: the Chichimecas.
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New deities and ideology: They introduced astral deities and a deeply militarized ethos.
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Toltec-Chichimeca Lordships: By merging with Toltec remnants, they laid the foundations for institutionalized warfare in the Valley of Mexico, leaving ceramic traces that witness the prelude to the “Flowery Wars” (ritualistic wars fought to capture prisoners).
The Nahua Era and the Chinampa Revolution
The population gap definitively closed during the Late Postclassic period (1300 – 1521 AD). It was during this era that the marsh barrier was conquered through an unprecedented technological revolution.
The Chinampa System (Floating Gardens)
The transformation of the swampy landscape into one of humanity’s most productive agricultural ecosystems was achieved through the chinampa system, attributed to the Xochimilca culture.
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Lake engineering: Rectangular plots were demarcated in shallow waters, filled with mud, decaying vegetation, and soil, then anchored with stakes made of ahuejote (a native willow tree).
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Canal network: An intricate network of water canals (acalotes) was excavated for continuous navigation and irrigation.
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Vernacular architecture: Dwellings were erected on artificial islets using lightweight materials like palm and tall grasses to evade floods.
Glyph representing Xochimilco in the Codex Mendoza. The hieroglyph on the left depicts chinampas (floating gardens); a line connects it to the image of a burning, collapsing temple. Its appearance in the codex marks the date when the Xochimilca people were conquered.
Santa María Aztahuacán under Acolhua Hegemony
In this geopolitical rearrangement, Santa María Aztahuacán was integrated into the sphere of influence of the Acolhuas, governed from Texcoco. Historical annals establish that the town is a direct descendant of that specific Altépetl (Mesoamerican city-state).
By the end of the 15th century, the town answered to the mandate of Iztapalapa, under the figure of Don Alonso de Axayácatl, whose body rests today in the Parish of San Lucas Evangelista. Santa María Aztahuacán operated as a dynamic agricultural port, sending canoes filled with corn, fish, and waterfowl through the canals to the massive markets of Tlatelolco.
The End of the Fifth Sun: Conquest and Destruction
At the time of the Spanish Conquest, Iztapalapa was ruled by Cuitláhuac, brother of Emperor Moctezuma Xocoyotzin. After the latter’s death, Cuitláhuac assumed command of the Aztec empire, leading the historic victory over Spanish troops during La Noche Triste (The Night of Sorrows).
However, the triumph was fleeting. Following the final siege and the fall of Tenochtitlán in 1521 (marking the end of the Fifth Sun, the Aztec cosmological era), the ancient and imposing Iztapalapa was destroyed. This brought a violent end to the pre-Hispanic era and laid the groundwork for the next chapter in the region’s history, which would resurge centuries later during the revolutionary movements.