"Figurine," Teotihuacan, Mexico, ceramic and pigments
Jorge Peréz de Lara Elías/INAH "Figurine," Teotihuacan, Mexico, ceramic and pigments

An upcoming exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) explores the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacan that is located near Mexico City, and seeks to find out "how the city worked to create a cohesive civic identity," according to a press release. The show will feature nearly 200 artifacts, some of which have been excavated in the last few years, including sculptures, mural paintings, buried offerings, and objects made of volcanic stones and ceramics. The show will also explore the ancient city's main architectural elements, including three pyramids—Sun, Moon, and Feathered Serpent—residential compounds, and administrative centers. Dubbed "City and Cosmos: The Arts of Teotihuacan," the new exhibition will be on view from March 25 to July 15.

Jorge Peréz de Lara Elías/INAH "Incensario" (incense burner), Teotihuacan, Mexico, ceramic, mica, and mineral pigments
Jorge Peréz de Lara Elías/INAH "Figurine," Teotihuacan, Mexico, ceramic and pigments

“Shaped over centuries by many different peoples and cultures, Teotihuacan was one of the most significant civic centers in the Western Hemisphere,” said LACMA CEO Michael Govan in a press release. “Telling its complex and cosmopolitan history is especially relevant to a place like 21st century Los Angeles, where more than 150 languages are spoken.”

"City and Cosmos: The Arts of Teotihuacan" is a collaboration between LACMA and Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, and was previously exhibited at the de Young Museum in San Francisco under the title "Teotihuacan: City of Water, City of Fire."