Leonardo López Luján facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Leonardo López Luján
Born	(1964-03-31) 31 March 1964 (age 61) Mexico City
Alma mater	Escuela Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Université de Paris X Nanterre
Known for	Excavations in Teotihuacan and Tenochtitlan. Studies on the origins of Mesoamerican archaeology
Awards	Fellow British Academy Fellow El Colegio Nacional Guggenheim Fellowship Shanghai Archaeology Forum Award Honorary Fellow American Academy of Arts & Sciences Foreign Fellow Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres National Prize for Arts and Sciences
Scientific career
Fields	Archaeology
Institutions	Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History
Academic advisors	Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, Michel Graulich, Pierre Becquelin

Leonardo López Luján, born on March 31, 1964, in Mexico City, is a famous archaeologist. He is one of the top experts studying ancient societies in Central Mexico and the history of archaeology there. Since 1991, he has led the important Templo Mayor Project for Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). His father, Alfredo López Austin, is also a well-known historian.

López Luján is a member of many important groups. These include El Colegio Nacional, the British Academy, and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. These groups recognize his amazing work in archaeology.

Becoming an Archaeologist

Early Studies and Degrees

Leonardo López Luján studied archaeology at Mexico's National School of Anthropology and History (ENAH). He was there from 1983 to 1987. His teacher, Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, helped him with his first big research project. This project was about the offerings found at the Templo Mayor in Tenochtitlan.

In 1992, he went to Paris Nanterre University in France for his doctoral studies. He learned from experts like Jean-Claude Gardin and Michel Graulich. In 1998, he finished his PhD with the highest honors. His research focused on the religious meaning of the Templo Mayor, especially a building called "The House of Eagles."

Teaching and Research Around the World

Throughout his career, López Luján has traveled a lot to share his knowledge. He has been a visiting researcher at famous universities like Princeton University and Harvard University. He also taught as a visiting professor at the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne and the University of Rome–La Sapienza.

At INAH, he has been a full-time research professor at the Templo Mayor Museum since 1988. He also teaches part-time at the National School of Conservation, Restoration, and Museography (ENCRYM).

Important Roles and Honors

From 2003 to 2005, he was the president of the Mexican Society of Anthropology. He is also a high-level researcher in Mexico's National System of Researchers. He is a member of the Mexican Academy of Sciences and the Mexican Academy of History.

Many international groups have honored López Luján for his work. He is a fellow of the British Academy and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. These honors show how much his work on ancient Mesoamerican cultures is valued worldwide.

In November 2018, he became a new member of El Colegio Nacional. This is a special Mexican academy for the country's top artists and scientists. In 2025, he received the 2024 National Prize for Arts and Sciences. This is the highest award given by the Mexican government for achievements in history, social sciences, and philosophy.

Discoveries and Exhibitions

Focus of His Research

López Luján's main research looks at the religion, politics, and art of ancient societies in Central Mexico. He has helped us understand many things. For example, how ancient people thought about their past, the secret meanings of buried offerings, and how animals were seen as symbols of the universe. He also studies the purpose of sacred buildings, the meaning of sculptures, and how ancient art was made. He has even explored the history of archaeology in Mexico, especially how it started in the 1700s and 1800s.

Archaeological Digs

López Luján started working on archaeological projects when he was only eight years old! He has been part of many scientific teams in different parts of Mexico and even in Ecuador.

A very important year for him was 1980. That's when he began working at the INAH's Templo Mayor Project. He worked on the first and second digs at the sacred area of Tenochtitlan. In 1991, he became the director of the project. He has led many archaeological digs there since then, including the most recent one that started in 2024.

He also worked on projects at the ancient city of Teotihuacan. He helped lead the Xalla Palace excavation and worked on the Pyramid of the Moon Project. His projects have received funding from various universities, including Princeton University and Harvard University.

Museum Shows

López Luján has helped create many amazing museum exhibitions. These shows let people see and learn about ancient Mexican cultures. Some of his notable exhibitions include:

• "The Aztec World" at the Field Museum in Chicago.
• "Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler" at the British Museum in London.
• "Captain Dupaix and his 1794 archaeological album" at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City.

He also curated several exhibitions at the Templo Mayor Museum, such as "The Way to the Land of the Dead," "The House of Eagles," and "Our Blood, Our Color: Tenochtitlan's polychromed sculpture."

Awards and Special Recognition

Individual and Team Awards

Leonardo López Luján has received many awards for his excellent work. Some of these include:

• The "Diario de México/CONACYT Medal" for being the best student in Mexico (1991).
• The "Alfonso Caso Award" from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (1998 and 2016).
• The "Social Sciences Research Award" from the Mexican Academy of Sciences (2000).
• The "Shanghai Archaeology Forum Research Award 2015" from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. His Great Temple Project was named one of the top ten archaeological programs in the world from 2013–2015.
• "Top 10 Discoveries of the Year" from Archaeology Magazine (2017, 2022, and 2023).
• The "Antonio García Cubas Scientific Book Award" from Mexico's National Institute of Anthropology and History (2023).
• An "Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy" from the University of Copenhagen (2023).
• The "Chevallier de l'Ordre National de la Légion d'Honneur" from France (2024).
• The "National Prize for Arts and Literature" from the Government of Mexico (2024).

He has also been part of teams that won awards, such as:

• "Best Reference Source" from Library Journal (2001).
• "Shanghai Archaeology Forum Field Discovery Award 2013" for the Moon Pyramid Project in Teotihuacan (2013).
• "PROSE Award, Art Exhibitions Category" (2018).
• "Bank Note of the Year (2021) Award" (2022).
• "ERC Advanced Grant" from the European Research Council (2024-2029).

Fellowships and Lectures

López Luján has received special fellowships that allowed him to do important research. These include the "Salvador Novo Fellowship" (1985) and the "Guggenheim Fellowship" (2000). He also received research fellowships from Harvard University's Dumbarton Oaks (2005–2006) and the Institute for Advanced Studies of Paris (2013–2014).

He has given many important talks at universities and museums around the world. These include Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley, the British Museum, and the Tokyo National Museum.

Books and Writings

Leonardo López Luján has written many books and essays about his archaeological discoveries and research. Here are some of his important works:

• The Offerings of the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan (1993). This book shares his early research on the amazing objects found at the Templo Mayor.
• Mexico's Indigenous Past, with Alfredo López Austin (1996). This book explores the history of Mexico's native peoples.
• La Casa de las Águilas (The House of Eagles), 2 volumes (2006). This detailed work is about the special building at the Templo Mayor.
• Escultura monumental mexica (Monumental Mexica Sculpture), with Eduardo Matos Moctezuma (2009). This book focuses on the large sculptures made by the Mexica people.
• El capitán Guillermo Dupaix y su álbum arqueológico de 1794 (Captain Guillermo Dupaix and his 1794 archaeological album) (2015). This book looks at early archaeological drawings.
• Arqueología de la arqueología: ensayos sobre los orígenes de la disciplina en México (Archaeology of Archaeology: Essays on the Origins of the Discipline in Mexico) (2017). This explores how archaeology began in Mexico.
• Los muertos viven, los vivos matan: Mictlantecuhtli y el Templo Mayor de Tenochtitlan (The Dead Live, the Living Kill: Mictlantecuhtli and the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan) (2021). This book discusses the god of the underworld and the Templo Mayor.
• Arqueología mexicana: sus orígenes y proyecciones (Mexican Archaeology: Its Origins and Projections), with Eduardo Matos Moctezuma (2024).

See also

In Spanish: Leonardo López Luján para niños