10 Lost Cities The Uncharted Film Could Explore

5. Aztlan

Nathan Drake Paititi
Public domain

The most northerly of the three Latin American entries, no one can seem to agree just where Aztlan is. Most seem to think it's in northwestern Mexico or the American Southwest.

What is Aztlan, exactly? It's the ancestral homeland of the Aztec. According to legend, seven tribes lived in Chicomoztoc, or "the place of the seven caves". These tribes eventually left their caves, putting down anchors in Aztlan.

By some accounts, it was an earthly paradise beyond all compare. By others, though, the inhabitants of Aztlan were lorded over by a tyrannical ruling class of noble elites.

We don't know much about Aztlan, but we DO know about the Aztec. Their most well-known city was Tenochtitlan, a magnificent, bustling metropolis built in the middle of a lake. The Aztecs are also known for the staggering amount of gold they possessed, which prompted relentless pillaging by the Spanish.

One legend says that in the wake of the Spanish attack on Tenochtitlan, 2,000 men took what remained of Moctezuma II's gold -- as well as his corpse -- and marched north with it. Could they have taken it back to the Aztec ancestral homeland (at least, maybe in this story)?

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Dustin is your friendly neighborhood historian, nerd culture enthusiast, and professional wise-ass. Some of his favorite pastimes include writing, philosophizing, and antagonizing stupid people.