Mexico, Hidalgo, Tula
9th-12th Century AD
The old city of Tula had a great historical relevance in Mesoamerica.
The archaeological ruins of Tula are located in the Mexican state of Hildalgo northwest of Mexico City. Tula is considered to be the candidate for Tollan, the legendary capital of the Toltec Empire, which was founded in about 750 A.D. when the Teotihuacan empire was in the process of falling apart.
Between about 900 A.D. and 1,100 A.D. during the height of Tula's power, it covered an area of some five square miles, with a population of perhaps as high as 60,000.
In Tula, Toltec society grew increasingly militaristic. The knightly orders of jaguar and eagle warriors and the practice of massive human sacrifices are likely to have begun there. The heavily fortified city took on a somber air as war and death became the dominant themes in stone work.
For more information, check out this book (where I found this awesome image): The Road to Aztlan: Art from a Mythic Homeland