September's Photo

The picture on my calendar for the month of September is of the archaeological site of Xochicalco in the state of Morelos.

Xochicalco is located about 75 miles to the south of Mexico City.  Its ceremonial center was built on top of an artificially leveled hill.  The city was founded around AD 650 by the Olmeca-Xicalanco, a Mayan group of traders who moved into central Mexico from the Gulf coast.  The location of the town was an excellent position along several trade routes.  After the great city of Teotihuacan, which had dominated central Mexico for centuries, went into decline, Xochicalco was one of several cities which filled the vacuum.  Between AD 700 and 900 it reached its height, and may have had a population of 20,000 people.  The site was destroyed and abandoned around 900 when invading tribes moved into the region.

Xochicalco

In my previous post I mentioned the archaeological site of Xochicalco which is located about 50 miles to the southwest of Mexico City.  I had never visited the site until Alejandro took me there on a trip that I made in April of 2013.  I was expecting interesting but minor ruins, so I was quite surprised by how expansive and impressive Xochicalco is.

The city was founded around A.D. 650 by the Olmeca-Xicalanca, a tribe related to the Mayas.  They originated along the Gulf coast and had a reputation as merchants.  As the great city of Teotihuacan fell into decline, Xochicalco rose to prominence as one of the most important commercial and religious centers of central Mexico.  It was at its height between A.D. 700 and 900 when it may have had a population of around 20,000.  Around 900, the city was burned and destroyed.  Recent archaeological studies suggest that the city fell victim to internal class warfare.  This theory is based on the fact that in the upper-class sections of the city many of the household items appear to have been deliberately smashed.  In the poorer sections of the city, however, such damage is not found. 

The site has a small but interesting museum displaying items from the city.

 

 

It is quite a hike from the museum to the ruins.  That's the museum off in the distance.

 

 

 

 

 

The city was built on top of a flattened and terraced mountain.  The location provided an excellent defensive position overlooking major trade routes.

 





The ruins include numerous small pyramids and temples as well as the remains of residences.

Two ball courts have been excavated.

 

 

 

The most exceptional structure at Xochcalco is the Temple of Queztalcoatl.  This temple is adorned on all sides with outstanding carvings of Quetzalcoatl, the Feather Serpent god.  The building shows influence from both Teotihuacan and the Mayan culture.

 

 



 

 

One unusual feature of Xochicalco is the so-called Observatory.  This is a modified cave with a chimney-like hole in the ceiling.  Between April and August a beam of sunlight falls through the hole onto the floor of the cave, and the priest-astronomers could study the movement of the sun.

 

 

Although Xochicalco does not receive many foreign visitors, it is certainly among the most important archaeological sites of central Mexico.

Another quiz: "Name That Ruin!"

Mexico is incredibly rich in archaeological sites.  It would probably take a lifetime to visit them all... and by that time archaeologists would have uncovered yet more.  Alejandro and I enjoy wandering among ruins and climbing pyramids.  We have visited a number of sites during my visits to Mexico.

Below is a picture that I took in April of 2013...

My first question should be fairly easy to answer...  What Pre-Hispanic deity is portrayed in this carving?

My second question is...  In which archaeological site is this carving located?

I will tell you that the site was an important city and is quite impressive.  It is fairly accessible, and has a visitors' center and museum.  However, it is not visited by very many foreign tourists.  Can you name it?

UPDATE:  That was really quick.  Joan, the winner of my last quiz, correctly identified the deity in the carving as Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent.  She also answered that the carving is located in Xochicalco.  Xochicalco is located about 50 miles from Mexico City in the state of Morelos.  It was an important trade center, and was at its height between AD 700 and 900.  I shall have to write a more detailed post about my visit there.

Congratulations, again, Joan!