Xochitecatl
Encyclopedia
Xochitecatl is a pre-Columbian
archaeological site located in the Mexican State of Tlaxcala
, 18 km southwest of Tlaxcala
city. The major architecture dates to the Middle Preclassic Period
(1000-400 BC) but occupation continued, with one major interruption, until the Late Classic
, when the site was abandoned, although there is evidence of ritual activity dating to the Postclassic and Colonial Periods. The ruins cover an area of 12 hectare
s on top of a volcanic dome.
Xochitecatl, unlike other contemporary sites, appears to have been a purely ceremonial centre for a population dispersed through the surrounding countryside rather than the centre of an urban area.
words, xōchitl (flower) and tecatl (person), hence the person of flowers or the lineage of flowers.
that forms a range of hills that rises approximately 200 meters above the floor of the Puebla
-Tlaxcala Valley; the so-called Atlachino-Nativitas-Xochitecatl block, which is located in the centre of the valley. Xochitecatl has clear views across the surrounding valleys to the neighbouring volcanoes of Popocatepetl
, Iztaccihuatl
and La Malinche
. The rivers Atoyac and Zahuapan flow close to the site. The site is the focal point of an area distinguished by its high agricultural productivity.
Xochitecatl lies 1 km west of, and within sight of, the contemporary Classic Period site of Cacaxtla
, distinguished by its famous painted murals in Maya
style. Xochitecatl is located 500m north of the modern town of Xochitecatitla and the same distance to the southeast of Atoyatenco.
In the period from 550 BC to 400 BC, further structures were added to these existing buildings. By the period spanning 350 BC to 100 AD, Xochitecatl had become the centre of a powerful chiefdom exercising control over a large portion of western Tlaxcala.
From 200 BC to 150 BC the Pyramid of Flowers was greatly expanded and further modifications took place at the Serpent Building. The site was abandoned in approximately 150 AD, after an eruption of Popocatepetl
volcano.
About 950 AD both Xochitecatl and Cacaxtla were abandoned, although there is evidence of continued ritual activity in the Postclassic Period.
workshops were uncovered; in the Pyramid of Flowers (Building E1) and the Serpent Building (Building E2).
This structure was built during the Preclassic Period
but shows evidence of use right up to the Spanish Colonial Period
. The base of the pyramid measures 100 meters by 140 meters, a similar size to that of the Pyramid of the Moon
in Teotihuacan
. Inside were found the burials of more than 30 children and one adult accompanied by offerings. Beads of green stone were deposited in the mouths of some of the children in order to accompany them on their journey to the underworld.
Upon the stairway giving access to the upper part of the building were deposited offerings that included more than 2000 clay figurines and 15 stone sculptures representing both humans and animals. The distinguishing feature of the figurines is the great quantity of figures that represent females from infancy right through to old age, including babies, richly-dressed women and pregnant women. Some figurines represent women with an opening in the abdomen containing richly dressed babies. Others show mothers carrying their children in their arms or upon their backs. The figurines are richly detailed, giving a glimpse of the daily attire in pre-Columbian times. Some of the women represented are wearing pleated skirts or skirts decorated with geometric designs such as lines, stripes, circles and dots; some figurines wear blouses (quezquemetl
) which are similarly decorated. Some of the women wear coloured bows in their hair while others are adorned with four- or five-petalled flowers.
A stairway ascends the pyramid, before it stand two large monolithic basins, one measuring 1.7 meters in diameter. Four sculptures were found deposited in the larger basin; a sculpture of a toad, a sculpture of a mythological serpent desgorging a human face from its open jaws and two sculptures of human faces.
During excavations on the Pyramid of Flowers, more than two hundred grey, black and green obsidian projectile points were recovered, together with hundreds of fragments of the same stone. More than twenty stone sculptures were also recovered, the majority of which were mutilated; these include animal sculptures such as a canine, an amphibian and a monkey; there are also anthropomorphic and mythological sculptures, such as a sculpture that represents a fleshless human face with the body of a rattlesnake and has been linked by investigators with local folklore of the goddess Xochitl, who takes the form of a beautiful woman but who can transform into a snake.
Each year on 29th September the sun rises directly from the mouth of the La Malinche volcano, as seen from the summit of the Pyramid of Flowers. This date coincides with the annual festival at nearby San Miguel el Milagro, just under 2 km away to the east.
This building dates from around 700 BC (in the Preclassic Period) and measures 80 meters by 50 meters. A monolithic stone basin measuring 1.3 meters across and 60 cm high is found on top of the structure. A mutilated stela was deposited inside, bearing the carving of a snake's fangs and forked tongue. To the north of this were found two stone sculptures; one of a man dressed as a jaguar and the other of a man with pronounced forehead and lips holding a sceptre or staff in his right hand. A room was built at ground level against the west side of the Serpent Building. Large amounts of worked obsidian were found in the northeast corner of this building, indicating that it was probably used as a workshop. Items found include cores, stone chippings, knives, projectile points and scrapers as well as bone tools and antlers. Associated ceramic remains were used to date these finds to the Late Preclassic (350 BC - 100 AD).
Originally the Serpent Building was a square structure with the only means of access being a stairway on the north side. Later the building was expanded to the east with the addition of another platform. At the same time the north stairway was blocked off and a new stairway was built using tepetate
covered with mud.
This circular stepped pyramid lies on the western side of the ceremonial centre and was built around 700 BC, in the Preclassic Period. Due to its location on the hillside the western side of the pyramid has more levels than the eastern side. No trace of internal structures was found during excavation, the interior of the structure consisting of volcanic ash. The building has no stairway giving access to the top, it was climbed by following the spiral form of the building itself. A Christian cross was placed on top of the structure in 1632 AD, about 90 years after the Spanish Conquest, and remains in place to this day. Two burials were found in the structure, which was probably a temple to Ehecatl
, the god of wind.
This structure lies in the middle of the central plaza and is oriented north-south. The building measures 50 meters along its north-south axis and is 35 meters wide. Construction began in the Middle Preclassic, the building was then reused during the Classic Period, thus producing two phases of architecture. More than two hundred figurines representing the female form were recovered from this structure during the 1960s by German archaeologist Bodo Spranz. Of particular interest was a figurine representing a flayed female and identified as the goddess Tlazolteotl
.
The earliest phase of construction, including the east and west stairways, is built from tepetate overlaid with mud. The second phase reused the earlier stone walls, which were then covered with stucco
. As at Teotihuacan
, this building deviates 16 degrees from magnetic north, this is particularly evident with the earlier construction phase. A looted offering consistent with the interment of the remains of human infants was found in the upper part of this platform.
Xochitecatl is in the care of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History) and is open to the public.
Pre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
archaeological site located in the Mexican State of Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Tlaxcala is one of the 31 states which along with the Federal District comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 60 municipalities and its capital city is Tlaxcala....
, 18 km southwest of Tlaxcala
Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala
The city of Tlaxcala is the capital and chief center of population of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala. The city is located at in the south-central portion of the state. In the census of 2005 the city had a population of 15,777 inhabitants and was by far the smallest state capital in Mexico. It is...
city. The major architecture dates to the Middle Preclassic Period
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
(1000-400 BC) but occupation continued, with one major interruption, until the Late Classic
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
, when the site was abandoned, although there is evidence of ritual activity dating to the Postclassic and Colonial Periods. The ruins cover an area of 12 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s on top of a volcanic dome.
Xochitecatl, unlike other contemporary sites, appears to have been a purely ceremonial centre for a population dispersed through the surrounding countryside rather than the centre of an urban area.
Etymology
Xochitecatl is formed from two NahuatlNahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
words, xōchitl (flower) and tecatl (person), hence the person of flowers or the lineage of flowers.
Location
Xochitecatl is located in a dominant position upon the summit of a 4 km-wide extinct volcanoVolcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
that forms a range of hills that rises approximately 200 meters above the floor of the Puebla
Puebla, Puebla
The city and municipality of Puebla is the capital of the state of Puebla, and one of the five most important colonial cities in Mexico. Being a planned city, it is located to the east of Mexico City and west of Mexico's main port, Veracruz, on the main route between the two.The city was founded...
-Tlaxcala Valley; the so-called Atlachino-Nativitas-Xochitecatl block, which is located in the centre of the valley. Xochitecatl has clear views across the surrounding valleys to the neighbouring volcanoes of Popocatepetl
Popocatépetl
Popocatépetl also known as "Popochowa" by the local population is an active volcano and, at , the second highest peak in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba...
, Iztaccihuatl
Iztaccíhuatl
Iztaccíhuatl , is the third highest mountain in Mexico, after the Pico de Orizaba, , and Popocatépetl, . Its name is Nahuatl for "White woman"....
and La Malinche
Matlalcueitl (volcano)
La Malinche mountain, also known as Matlalcuéyetl, Matlalcueitl or Malintzin, is an inactive volcano located in Tlaxcala and Puebla states, in Mexico. Officially, its summit reaches above sea level, though in some articles it is considered to be 4,503 m...
. The rivers Atoyac and Zahuapan flow close to the site. The site is the focal point of an area distinguished by its high agricultural productivity.
Xochitecatl lies 1 km west of, and within sight of, the contemporary Classic Period site of Cacaxtla
Cacaxtla
Cacaxtla is an archaeological site located near the southern border of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala. It was a sprawling palace containing vibrantly colored murals painted in unmistakable Maya style. The nearby site of Xochitecatl was a more public ceremonial complex associated with Cacaxtla...
, distinguished by its famous painted murals in Maya
Maya architecture
A unique and spectacular style, Maya architecture spans several thousands of years. Often the most dramatic and easily recognizable as Maya are the stepped pyramids from the Terminal Pre-classic period and beyond. Being based on the general Mesoamerican architectural traditions these pyramids...
style. Xochitecatl is located 500m north of the modern town of Xochitecatitla and the same distance to the southeast of Atoyatenco.
Preclassic Period
Around 800 BC, during the Middle Preclassic Period, the construction of Xochitecatl was begun with the construction of the Pyramid of Flowers, the Spiral Building and the Serpent Building.In the period from 550 BC to 400 BC, further structures were added to these existing buildings. By the period spanning 350 BC to 100 AD, Xochitecatl had become the centre of a powerful chiefdom exercising control over a large portion of western Tlaxcala.
From 200 BC to 150 BC the Pyramid of Flowers was greatly expanded and further modifications took place at the Serpent Building. The site was abandoned in approximately 150 AD, after an eruption of Popocatepetl
Popocatépetl
Popocatépetl also known as "Popochowa" by the local population is an active volcano and, at , the second highest peak in Mexico after the Pico de Orizaba...
volcano.
Epiclassic (or Late Classic) Period
Between 600 AD and 950 AD Xochitecatl was reoccupied when parts of the site were reused as a secondary ceremonial centre within the extended urban area of Cacaxtla. The Platform of the Volcanoes was built and the Pyramid of Flowers became the centre of ritual activity including the sacrifice of children.About 950 AD both Xochitecatl and Cacaxtla were abandoned, although there is evidence of continued ritual activity in the Postclassic Period.
Modern history
Major excavations were undertaken at the site in 1993-4 by Mari Carmen Serra Puche with the goal of exploring the principal structures around the site core. In the course of these investigations two obsidianObsidian use in Mesoamerica
Obsidian is a naturally formed volcanic glass that was an important part of the material culture of Pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. Obsidian was a highly integrated part of daily and ritual life, and its widespread and varied use may be a significant contributor to Mesoamerica's lack of metallurgy...
workshops were uncovered; in the Pyramid of Flowers (Building E1) and the Serpent Building (Building E2).
Site description
The ceremonial centre of Xochitecatl lies around two plazas surrounded by the principle structures. Around the main plaza are located the Pyramid of Flowers, the Serpent Building and the Platform of the Volcanoes. The western plaza is bordered by the Spiral Building.The Pyramid of Flowers
(Pirámide de las Flores in Spanish, designated as Building E1)This structure was built during the Preclassic Period
Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian , the Archaic , the Preclassic , the Classic , and the Postclassic...
but shows evidence of use right up to the Spanish Colonial Period
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
. The base of the pyramid measures 100 meters by 140 meters, a similar size to that of the Pyramid of the Moon
Pyramid of the Moon
The Pyramid of the Moon is the second largest pyramid in Teotihuacan after the Pyramid of the Sun. It is located in the western part of Teotihuacan and mimics the contours of the mountain Cerro Gordo, just north of the site...
in Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan – also written Teotihuacán, with a Spanish orthographic accent on the last syllable – is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, just 30 miles northeast of Mexico City, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas...
. Inside were found the burials of more than 30 children and one adult accompanied by offerings. Beads of green stone were deposited in the mouths of some of the children in order to accompany them on their journey to the underworld.
Upon the stairway giving access to the upper part of the building were deposited offerings that included more than 2000 clay figurines and 15 stone sculptures representing both humans and animals. The distinguishing feature of the figurines is the great quantity of figures that represent females from infancy right through to old age, including babies, richly-dressed women and pregnant women. Some figurines represent women with an opening in the abdomen containing richly dressed babies. Others show mothers carrying their children in their arms or upon their backs. The figurines are richly detailed, giving a glimpse of the daily attire in pre-Columbian times. Some of the women represented are wearing pleated skirts or skirts decorated with geometric designs such as lines, stripes, circles and dots; some figurines wear blouses (quezquemetl
Quezquémetl
A quezquémetl is a garment to protect and adorn the traditional dress of the women in the Mexican "Sierra Huasteca" it is made from two woven rectangles where the short edge is stitched to the long edge, giving the appearance of a V shape....
) which are similarly decorated. Some of the women wear coloured bows in their hair while others are adorned with four- or five-petalled flowers.
A stairway ascends the pyramid, before it stand two large monolithic basins, one measuring 1.7 meters in diameter. Four sculptures were found deposited in the larger basin; a sculpture of a toad, a sculpture of a mythological serpent desgorging a human face from its open jaws and two sculptures of human faces.
During excavations on the Pyramid of Flowers, more than two hundred grey, black and green obsidian projectile points were recovered, together with hundreds of fragments of the same stone. More than twenty stone sculptures were also recovered, the majority of which were mutilated; these include animal sculptures such as a canine, an amphibian and a monkey; there are also anthropomorphic and mythological sculptures, such as a sculpture that represents a fleshless human face with the body of a rattlesnake and has been linked by investigators with local folklore of the goddess Xochitl, who takes the form of a beautiful woman but who can transform into a snake.
Each year on 29th September the sun rises directly from the mouth of the La Malinche volcano, as seen from the summit of the Pyramid of Flowers. This date coincides with the annual festival at nearby San Miguel el Milagro, just under 2 km away to the east.
The Serpent Building
(Edificio de la Serpiente in Spanish, designated as Building E2)This building dates from around 700 BC (in the Preclassic Period) and measures 80 meters by 50 meters. A monolithic stone basin measuring 1.3 meters across and 60 cm high is found on top of the structure. A mutilated stela was deposited inside, bearing the carving of a snake's fangs and forked tongue. To the north of this were found two stone sculptures; one of a man dressed as a jaguar and the other of a man with pronounced forehead and lips holding a sceptre or staff in his right hand. A room was built at ground level against the west side of the Serpent Building. Large amounts of worked obsidian were found in the northeast corner of this building, indicating that it was probably used as a workshop. Items found include cores, stone chippings, knives, projectile points and scrapers as well as bone tools and antlers. Associated ceramic remains were used to date these finds to the Late Preclassic (350 BC - 100 AD).
Originally the Serpent Building was a square structure with the only means of access being a stairway on the north side. Later the building was expanded to the east with the addition of another platform. At the same time the north stairway was blocked off and a new stairway was built using tepetate
Tepetate
Tepetate is a Mexican term for a kind of brittle volcanic rock. Tepetate can be converted into arable land through pulverization.-References:...
covered with mud.
The Spiral Building
(Edificio de la Espiral in Spanish, designated as Building E3)This circular stepped pyramid lies on the western side of the ceremonial centre and was built around 700 BC, in the Preclassic Period. Due to its location on the hillside the western side of the pyramid has more levels than the eastern side. No trace of internal structures was found during excavation, the interior of the structure consisting of volcanic ash. The building has no stairway giving access to the top, it was climbed by following the spiral form of the building itself. A Christian cross was placed on top of the structure in 1632 AD, about 90 years after the Spanish Conquest, and remains in place to this day. Two burials were found in the structure, which was probably a temple to Ehecatl
Ehecatl
Ehecatl is a pre-Columbian deity associated with the wind, who features in Aztec mythology and the mythologies of other cultures from the central Mexico region of Mesoamerica. He is most usually interpreted as the aspect of the Feathered Serpent deity as a god of wind, and is therefore also known...
, the god of wind.
The Platform of the Volcanoes
(Basamento de los Volcanes in Spanish, designated as Building E4)This structure lies in the middle of the central plaza and is oriented north-south. The building measures 50 meters along its north-south axis and is 35 meters wide. Construction began in the Middle Preclassic, the building was then reused during the Classic Period, thus producing two phases of architecture. More than two hundred figurines representing the female form were recovered from this structure during the 1960s by German archaeologist Bodo Spranz. Of particular interest was a figurine representing a flayed female and identified as the goddess Tlazolteotl
Tlazolteotl
In Aztec mythology, Tlazolteotl is a goddess of purification, steam bath, midwives, filth, and a patroness of adulterers. In Nahuatl, the word tlazolli can refer to vice and diseases. Thus, Tlazolteotl was a goddess of filth , vice, and sexual misdeeds...
.
The earliest phase of construction, including the east and west stairways, is built from tepetate overlaid with mud. The second phase reused the earlier stone walls, which were then covered with stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
. As at Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan
Teotihuacan – also written Teotihuacán, with a Spanish orthographic accent on the last syllable – is an enormous archaeological site in the Basin of Mexico, just 30 miles northeast of Mexico City, containing some of the largest pyramidal structures built in the pre-Columbian Americas...
, this building deviates 16 degrees from magnetic north, this is particularly evident with the earlier construction phase. A looted offering consistent with the interment of the remains of human infants was found in the upper part of this platform.
Xochitecatl is in the care of the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History) and is open to the public.