The Basin of Mexico, or the Valley of Mexico as it’s sometimes called, is a highland plateau located near the geographical centre of the country. The valley, which is ringed by mountains and volcanoes, saw the rise of several significant, indigenous cultures over time and is today the site of Mexico City. The Tlatilco culture, Teotihuacan, the Toltecs, and eventually the Aztec culture all rose to prominence and flourished in the lee of it’s mountains and by the shores of its lakes.

At about the same time the Roman empire was spreading across Europe and into Western Asia, the Basin of Mexico was one of the most densely populated areas on Earth. The physical remains of these cultures can still be found everywhere. Even today, when construction work is undertaken in the historic centre of Mexico City, workers often unearth the foundation stones of Tenochtitlan, precursor to today’s city and capital of the Aztec empire. I’ve had the chance to visit there several times and explore some of those remains, and to take some photos.