It is part of our heritage that each person looks over the facts, then makes his interpretation of those facts. It is presumed the interpretations will be all over the spectrum.
But, do be sure to consider all options, if you want the best possible decision.
For example, it is not even certain there was a significant treasure left after Hernan Cortes did his bit. Opinions on that vary all over the place. Cortes was among many things a dreamer and an excellent con artist.
Second, why assume the treasure was buried in one place?
The Aztecs may have been bloodthirsty but they did not conquer so many people by being thick-headed. They were a crafty people, at least key leaders were. A key branch of his descendants, though the Aztecs were conquered, are today considered nobility in Spain, nearly 500 years later. That took some slick maneuvering! For descendants of a conquered people to become nobility thousands of miles away in the nation which conquered them!
I wrote on another thread when people posted that the treasure was taken north, that the Aztecs were more than capable of taking a treasure, or alleged treasure, and heading north out of Tenochtitlan, saying, "Bye, guys. Lookee, we are going north. Yep, north. Pass it on, we went North. One more time, don't forget, we went North."
While the treasure, or at least part of it, was headed southeast to known properties of the Emperors.
Or, more likely, if a lot of it existed, it may have been distributed to a number of sites, under the principle of, don't put all your nuggets in one basket.
The local legends where I live are the treasure was buried somewhere in this area, and that it took a week of digging to get the job done. I would say more accurately, the remnants of oral tradition said it.
It is also claimed there are tunnels running great distances from here. I do not believe that, because the mountains are marble, and travertine marble does not exist in the absence of large quantities of water. A tunnel system would soon enough be flooded.
This area was conquered in 1503, and extensive tunnels through rocks would take years and years, even with large quantities of strong slaves. Less than 20 years later, the Aztecs were literally fighting for their lives. So, that one I do not believe, for simple technical reasons. Though there may well have been well hidden short escape tunnels in key places for key people.
What I do not know is how many other places exist which were used by Moctezuma, and may also have local legends of the treasure being buried there. And, it may well be correct.
The educated Mexican people I know, and I refer to those who accept at least the possibility there is hidden treasure somewhere, chortle at the thought the Aztecs would take their great treasure over a thousand miles away. Ditto for Moctezuma's body.
In the end, I don't really know, nor does anyone here. Each person takes his best stab at it, and goes with it. That is the way it should be.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention someone, whose name and face I have forgotten,
told me once a few years ago, a worker was excavating in this area for building a house. He encountered a buried body, with fabric around it, and what I would interpret as cermonial cups. The local church was up and running by 1620, based on church records, and so such burials had to be long before that.
Knowing what would happen if the government discovered an ancient burial, the body was allegedly buried at some distance and building continued. As much as that grosses me out, to miss such a valuable burial, it makes sense. Relatively poor people have to get by somehow.
But, do be sure to consider all options, if you want the best possible decision.
For example, it is not even certain there was a significant treasure left after Hernan Cortes did his bit. Opinions on that vary all over the place. Cortes was among many things a dreamer and an excellent con artist.
Second, why assume the treasure was buried in one place?
The Aztecs may have been bloodthirsty but they did not conquer so many people by being thick-headed. They were a crafty people, at least key leaders were. A key branch of his descendants, though the Aztecs were conquered, are today considered nobility in Spain, nearly 500 years later. That took some slick maneuvering! For descendants of a conquered people to become nobility thousands of miles away in the nation which conquered them!
I wrote on another thread when people posted that the treasure was taken north, that the Aztecs were more than capable of taking a treasure, or alleged treasure, and heading north out of Tenochtitlan, saying, "Bye, guys. Lookee, we are going north. Yep, north. Pass it on, we went North. One more time, don't forget, we went North."
While the treasure, or at least part of it, was headed southeast to known properties of the Emperors.
Or, more likely, if a lot of it existed, it may have been distributed to a number of sites, under the principle of, don't put all your nuggets in one basket.
The local legends where I live are the treasure was buried somewhere in this area, and that it took a week of digging to get the job done. I would say more accurately, the remnants of oral tradition said it.
It is also claimed there are tunnels running great distances from here. I do not believe that, because the mountains are marble, and travertine marble does not exist in the absence of large quantities of water. A tunnel system would soon enough be flooded.
This area was conquered in 1503, and extensive tunnels through rocks would take years and years, even with large quantities of strong slaves. Less than 20 years later, the Aztecs were literally fighting for their lives. So, that one I do not believe, for simple technical reasons. Though there may well have been well hidden short escape tunnels in key places for key people.
What I do not know is how many other places exist which were used by Moctezuma, and may also have local legends of the treasure being buried there. And, it may well be correct.
The educated Mexican people I know, and I refer to those who accept at least the possibility there is hidden treasure somewhere, chortle at the thought the Aztecs would take their great treasure over a thousand miles away. Ditto for Moctezuma's body.
In the end, I don't really know, nor does anyone here. Each person takes his best stab at it, and goes with it. That is the way it should be.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention someone, whose name and face I have forgotten,
told me once a few years ago, a worker was excavating in this area for building a house. He encountered a buried body, with fabric around it, and what I would interpret as cermonial cups. The local church was up and running by 1620, based on church records, and so such burials had to be long before that.Knowing what would happen if the government discovered an ancient burial, the body was allegedly buried at some distance and building continued. As much as that grosses me out, to miss such a valuable burial, it makes sense. Relatively poor people have to get by somehow.
huh...lol
