* Astronomy

Archaeologists have discovered a massive 6th-century Indian pyramid beneath the site of a centuries old re-enactment of the crucifixion of Christ.

Built on a hillside by the mysterious Teotihuacan culture, the pyramid was abandoned almost 1,000 years before Catholics began re-enacting the crucifixion there in the 1800s, unaware they were celebrating one of the holiest moments of their faith on a site originally dedicated to gods of earth, wind and rain.
While residents around the hillside in Iztapalapa, on the east side of Mexico City, express pride at the discovery, it illustrates the difficulty of preserving the many layers of Mexican history: archaeologists have decided not to fully excavate the site to avoid disturbing the Christian rites.

Mexico City’s cathedral is built atop the remains of an Aztec temple, as are countless other churches in Mexico, partly as an attempt to forcibly supplant pre-Hispanic religions.
But the case of Iztapalapa hillside, known as the Hill of the Star, appears to be mere geographical coincidence.
Pre-Hispanic cultures chose the hills that dot the otherwise flat, mountain-ringed Mexico Valley for their ceremonial sites, and post-colonial communities did the same, perhaps because the hilltops have commanding views or are safe from floods.

Measuring 150 yards on each of its four sides, the 18-yard tall pyramid was carved out on a natural hillside around 500 AD.

It was abandoned around 800 AD, when the Teotihuacan culture collapsed for unknown reasons. But the pyramid had also been partially rebuilt by the Coyotlatelcas, a little-known culture that went on to found the Toltec civilisation.
The archaeological site is not safe from the sprawl of the modern megalopolis and its 19 million inhabitants. Archaeologists found that part of the temple had been destroyed by unauthorised home building on the hillside just 15 years ago.

Source