Exploring Everyday Life in Ancient Mexico As the explorer climbs the slopes and picks his way from summit to summit, he is fairly dazed by the vast array of pyramids and terraces, which not only crown the heights but overspread the steep slopes, destroying traces of natural contour and making the mountains actual works of art. Over 100 years ago, Field Museum Curator William H. Holmes explored the Valley of Oaxaca and observed that many of the surrounding hills were shaped by the vestiges of prehispanic settlement. Today, we know that there are over 100 hilltop centers with flattened terraces that span the crests and slopes, but we are just beginning to uncover what life was like high above the valley floor.