Chichimec Culture – Archaeological Site
Name:	Huejotla archaeological site
Type	Mesoamerican archaeology
Location	Texcoco Texcoco, Mexico State Texcoco is a city and municipality located in the northeast portion of Mexico State, 25 km northeast of Mexico City. In the pre-Hispanic era, this was a major Aztec city on the shores of Lake Texcoco. After the Conquest, the city was initially the second most important after Mexico City,... , Estado de Mexico
Region	Mesoamerica Mesoamerica Mesoamerica is a region and culture area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and...
Coordinates	19°28′33"N 98°52′22"W
Culture	Otomi Otomi people The Otomi people . Smaller Otomi populations exist in the states of Puebla, Mexico, Tlaxcala, Michoacán and Guanajuato. The Otomi language belonging to the Oto-Pamean branch of the Oto-Manguean language family is spoken in many different varieties some of which are not mutually intelligible.One of...  - Chichimeca Chichimeca Chichimeca was the name that the Nahua peoples of Mexico generically applied to a wide range of semi-nomadic peoples who inhabited the north of modern-day Mexico and southwestern United States, and carried the same sense as the European term "barbarian"...  –-
Language	Otomi Otomi language Otomi is an Oto-Manguean language and one of the indigenous languages of Mexico, spoken by approximately 240,000 indigenous Otomi people in the central altiplano region of Mexico. The language is spoken in many different dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible, therefore it is in... , Chichimeca Oto-Pamean languages The Oto-Pamean languages are a branch of the Oto-Manguean languages of central Mexico that includes are half a dozen languages, or more accurately dialect clusters:*Otomian: Otomi, Mazahua*Matlatzinca*Pamean*Chichimeca... , Nahuatl Nahuatl 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...
Chronology	1100 – 1350 CE
Period	Mesoamerican postclassical
Apogee	ca. 1200 CE
INAH Web Page	Huejotla Archaeological Site

Huexotla or Huexotla is an archaeological site located 5 kilometers south of Texcoco

Texcoco, Mexico State

Texcoco is a city and municipality located in the northeast portion of Mexico State, 25 km northeast of Mexico City. In the pre-Hispanic era, this was a major Aztec city on the shores of Lake Texcoco. After the Conquest, the city was initially the second most important after Mexico City,...

, at the town of San Luis Huexotla, close to Chapingo

Chapingo

Chapingo is a small town located on the outskirts of the city of Texcoco, Mexico State in central Mexico.It is located at , about west of Mexico City International Airport....

, in the Mexico State.

Huexotla is considered to hold vestiges of the most important ancient Acolhuacan reign in the east of the Mexico highlands plateau.
Although a few buildings remain in Huexotla, it was a very large city that extended well beyond the perimeter wall, in fact the only known structure of its kind in the region from the late postclassical. It is believed that the Huexotla main structure once existed at the place where the Franciscan convent and the Church of St. Louis were built.

Huexotla, Coatlinchán and Texcoco were the main Acolhua

Acolhua

The Acolhua are a Mesoamerican people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico in or around the year 1200 CE. The Acolhua were a sister culture of the Aztecs as well as the Tepanec, Chalca, Xochimilca and others....

 culture cities and its development began in the XIII century.

These cities more than likely had a common faith and destiny, from its founding throughout 1520; they formed part of the Aztec Triple Alliance

Aztec Triple Alliance

The Aztec Triple Alliance, or Aztec Empire began as an alliance of three Nahua city-states or "altepeme": Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan...

. At the time of the Spanish conquest of Mexico

Spanish conquest of Mexico

The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire was one of the most important campaigns in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The invasion began in February 1519 and was acclaimed victorious on August 13, 1521, by a coalition army of Spanish conquistadors and Tlaxcalan warriors led by Hernán Cortés...

, it was one of the largest and most prestigious cities in central Mexico, second only to the Aztec

Aztec

The Aztec people were certain ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl language and who dominated large parts of Mesoamerica in the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, a period referred to as the late post-classic period in Mesoamerican chronology.Aztec is the...

 capital, Tenochtitlan. A survey of Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica is a region and culture area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and...

n cities estimated that pre-conquest Texcoco had a population of 24,000 and occupied an area of 450 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.

Texcoco was founded in the 12th century, on the eastern shore of Lake Texcoco

Lake Texcoco

Lake Texcoco was a natural lake formation within the Valley of Mexico. The Aztecs built the city of Tenochtitlan on an island in the lake. The Spaniards built Mexico City over Tenochtitlan...

, probably by the Chichimecs. In or about 1337, the Acolhua

Acolhua

The Acolhua are a Mesoamerican people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico in or around the year 1200 CE. The Acolhua were a sister culture of the Aztecs as well as the Tepanec, Chalca, Xochimilca and others....

, with Tepanec

Tepanec

The Tepanecs or Tepaneca are a Mesoamerican people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico in the late 12th or early 13th centuries. The Tepanec were a sister culture of the Aztecs as well as the Acolhua and others—these tribes spoke the Nahuatl language and shared the same general pantheon, with...

 help, expelled Chichimecs from Texcoco and Texcoco became the Acolhua capital city, taking over that role from Coatlinchan

Coatlinchan

Coatlinchan is a town in the Mexican state of Mexico.A colossal statue over a thousand years old that was thought to represent Tlaloc was found in the town of Coatlinchan Mexico. This statue was made of Basalt and weighed an estimated 168 tons. It was moved to the National Museum of Anthropology in...

.

In 1418, Ixtlilxochitl I

Ixtlilxochitl I

Ixtlilxochitl Ome Tochtli was the ruler of the Acolhua city-state of Texcoco from 1409 to 1418 and the father of the famous "poet-king" Nezahualcoyotl.-Early years as tlatoani:...

, the tlatoani

Tlatoani

Tlatoani is the Nahuatl term for the ruler of an altepetl, a pre-Hispanic state. The word literally means "speaker", but may be translated into English as "king". A is a female ruler, or queen regnant....

(ruler) of Texcoco, was dethroned by Tezozomoc of Azcapotzalco

Azcapotzalco (altepetl)

Azcapotzalco was a pre-Columbian Nahua altepetl , capital of the Tepanec empire, in the Valley of Mexico, on the western shore of Lake Texcoco.The name Azcapotzalco means "at the anthill" in Nahuatl...

. Ten years later, in 1428, Ixtlilxochitl's son, Nezahualcoyotl

Nezahualcoyotl

Nezahualcoyotl was a philosopher, warrior, architect, poet and ruler of the city-state of Texcoco in pre-Columbian Mexico...

 allied with the Aztecs to defeat Tezozomoc's son and successor, Maxtla

Maxtla

Maxtla was a Tepanec ruler of Azcapotzalco from 1426 to his death in 1428. He succeeded his father Tezozomoc, possibly through assassination of his elder brother Tayauh. His reign saw a rapid decline in the fortunes of Azcapotzalco...

. Texcoco and the Aztecs of Tenochtitlan, with the Tepanec

Tepanec

The Tepanecs or Tepaneca are a Mesoamerican people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico in the late 12th or early 13th centuries. The Tepanec were a sister culture of the Aztecs as well as the Acolhua and others—these tribes spoke the Nahuatl language and shared the same general pantheon, with...

s of Tlacopan

Tlacopan

Tlacopan , also called Tacuba, was a Pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city-state situated on the western shore of Lake Texcoco.Founded by Tlacomatzin, Tlacopan was a Tepanec kingdom subordinate to nearby Azcapotzalco...

, subsequently formalized their association as the Triple Alliance

Aztec Triple Alliance

The Aztec Triple Alliance, or Aztec Empire began as an alliance of three Nahua city-states or "altepeme": Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan...

.

Texcoco thereby became the second-most important city in the eventual Aztec empire, by agreement receiving two-fifths of the tribute collected.

Texcoco was known as a center of learning within the empire, and had a famed library including books from older Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica is a region and culture area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and...

n civilizations.

Around 1960 the site was explored by Eduardo Pareyón Moreno

Eduardo Pareyón Moreno

Eduardo Luis Pareyón Moreno was a Mexican architect and archaeologist. He was a pioneer researcher in several aspects of modern Mexican archaeology...

Background

The Otomi peoples were likely the original inhabitants of the central Mexican highlands before the arrival of Nahuatl

Nahuatl

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...

 speakers around ca. 1000 AD, but were gradually replaced and marginalized by Nahua peoples.

Although no exact date of the establishment of the first humans in the Texcoco area is available, from historical review it is likely that the first settlers had Teotihuacan or Toltec origins. Historical sources based on the Xolotl, Tolotzin and Quinatzin codices, among others, indicate that its founders belonged to a chichimeca group arriving at the Mexico basin and established in the province that the Aztecs called Acolhuacán.

The name Texcoco is written several times and places as, Tezcoco Tezcuco and Texcoco. One of the causes of the different meanings of the word Texcoco, there are various ways codices represent to this place. For example, in Codex Azcatitlán a pictograph representation is a stone, symbol of the Hill or place with a flower above; in the Codex Cruz appears as the sign of a place or Hill with a pot above; the Xolotl codex can depicts a hill and a stone which in turn has a pot above; in the Quinantzin Map represents a pot with an outgrowing plant, with stone material in the background.

A different interpretation is found at the Osasuna Codex: Texcoco was the capital of the Acolhuacán province; the Codex Osasuna depicts symbols of this province.

The official municipality glyph was taken from the Mendocino Codex, which represents Texcoco with a hieroglyph that brings together both, the Acolhuacán and Texcoco symbols; an arm with the water sign, next to a cliff where two plants flourish. That is why Manuel Orozco and Berra consider this hieroglyphic complex as the city of Texcoco in the Acolhuacán province.

Toponymy

Huexotla is a Nahuatl name, that means the “willows place”, and it probably makes reference to the forest that existed here during prehispanic times, at the foot of the Tláloc mountain range.

Texcoco, based in codices and Nahuatl etymology, as well as phonetic rules, Tezcoco has the following roots: "Tlacolt = Jarilla" this refers to the plant to sprout on flat land "Texcalli – crag or cliff" the translation is probably "in the jarilla cliffs".

Acolhuas

The Acolhua are a Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica

Mesoamerica is a region and culture area in the Americas, extending approximately from central Mexico to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica, within which a number of pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the 15th and...

n people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico

Valley of Mexico

The Valley of Mexico is a highlands plateau in central Mexico roughly coterminous with the present-day Distrito Federal and the eastern half of the State of Mexico. Surrounded by mountains and volcanoes, the Valley of Mexico was a centre for several pre-Columbian civilizations, including...

 in or around the year 1200 CE

Common Era

Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...

. The Acolhua were a sister culture of the Aztecs (or Mexica) as well as the Tepanec

Tepanec

The Tepanecs or Tepaneca are a Mesoamerican people who arrived in the Valley of Mexico in the late 12th or early 13th centuries. The Tepanec were a sister culture of the Aztecs as well as the Acolhua and others—these tribes spoke the Nahuatl language and shared the same general pantheon, with...

, Chalca, Xochimilca and others.

It is likely that the ruling family of the Acolhua were descendants from Otomi

Otomi language

Otomi is an Oto-Manguean language and one of the indigenous languages of Mexico, spoken by approximately 240,000 indigenous Otomi people in the central altiplano region of Mexico. The language is spoken in many different dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible, therefore it is in...

 speakers and did not speak Nahuatl

Nahuatl

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...

 until decreed by their ruler (tlatoani

Tlatoani

Tlatoani is the Nahuatl term for the ruler of an altepetl, a pre-Hispanic state. The word literally means "speaker", but may be translated into English as "king". A is a female ruler, or queen regnant....

) Techotlalatzin

Techotlalatzin

Techotlalatzin was the ruler of the pre-Columbian Mesoamerican city-state of Texcoco from 1357 or 1377 until his death in 1409...

.

Under Techotlalatzin's grandson, Nezahualcoyotl

Nezahualcoyotl

Nezahualcoyotl was a philosopher, warrior, architect, poet and ruler of the city-state of Texcoco in pre-Columbian Mexico...

, the Acolhua allied with the Mexica (Aztecs) in the Aztec Triple Alliance

Aztec Triple Alliance

The Aztec Triple Alliance, or Aztec Empire began as an alliance of three Nahua city-states or "altepeme": Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan...

. The Acolhua capital, Texcoco, became a cultural center of the resultant Aztec Empire.

Nezahualcoyotl

Two hundred years after the arrival of the first Chichimeca groups, the greatest Texcoco ruler was born: Acolmiztli Nezahualcoyotl.

Of all the great warriors and priests who influenced Mexico history, Acolmiztli-Nezahualcoyotl was one of the greatest, was born in the year Ce-tochtli (year 1 Rabbit), under the Cemazatl (deer) day and sign, and almost at the end of the Tocoztzintlan month, which corresponds to April 28, 1402.
His father died in 1417 CE, his death was ordered by Tezozomoc, Azcapotzalco’s lord orders, when Nezahualcoyotl was 15 years old.

Acolmiztli Nezahualcoyotl gained the favor of the Lords of Huexotzinco and Tlaxcala, as well as his maternal line relatives, the Aztecs and as of year 3 rabbit (1430) he undertook the release of his father's domains that were oppressed by the tepanecas. Crowned in 1431 and two years later with the support and partnership of the México-Tenochtitlan Empire, permanently settled in Texcoco. His reign lasted over forty years and during that period culture, arts, as well as the building of palaces and temples had a boom. King Acolmiztli-Nezahualcóyotl died in year 6 Flint (1472) and his heir was Nezahualpilli.

Otomi

The Otomi people (ˌoʊtəˈmiː is a native ethnic group

Indigenous peoples of Mexico

Mexico, in the second article of its Constitution, is defined as a "pluricultural" nation in recognition of the diverse ethnic groups that constitute it, and in which the indigenous peoples are the original foundation...

 inhabiting the central highlands of Mexico

Mexico

The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...

. The two most populous groups are the Highland or Sierra Otomí living in the mountains of La Huasteca

La Huasteca

La Huasteca is the first climbing area in Monterrey, Mexico, only 15 minutes from the city. With nearly 200 bolted routes with grades from 5.8 to 5.13C, it is the favorite place for weekend climbers. It is also known for the slippery type of limestone from which it is comprised, and which makes...

 and the Mezquital Otomí, living in the Mezquital valley in the eastern part of the state of Hidalgo, and in the state of Querétaro. Sierra Otomí usually self-identify as Ñuhu or Ñuhmu depending on the dialect they speak, whereas Mezquital Otomi selfidentify as Hñähñu . Smaller Otomi populations exist in the states of Puebla

Puebla

Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....

, Mexico

Mexico (state)

México , officially: Estado Libre y Soberano de México is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of the United Mexican States. It is divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Toluca de Lerdo....

, 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....

, Michoacán

Michoacán

Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...

 and Guanajuato

Guanajuato

Guanajuato officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 46 municipalities and its capital city is Guanajuato....

. The Otomi language

Otomi language

Otomi is an Oto-Manguean language and one of the indigenous languages of Mexico, spoken by approximately 240,000 indigenous Otomi people in the central altiplano region of Mexico. The language is spoken in many different dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible, therefore it is in...

 belonging to the Oto-Pamean branch of the Oto-Manguean language family

Oto-Manguean languages

Oto-Manguean languages are a large family comprising several families of Native American languages. All of the Oto-Manguean languages that are now spoken are indigenous to Mexico, but the Manguean branch of the family, which is now extinct, was spoken as far south as Nicaragua and Costa Rica.The...

 is spoken in many different varieties some of which are not mutually intelligible.

The Otomi traditionally worshipped the moon as their highest deity, and even into modern times many Otomi populations practice Shamanism and hold prehispanic beliefs such as Nagualism. Otomies traditionally subsisted on maize, beans and squash as most Mesoamerican sedentary peoples, but the Maguey (Century Plant) was also an important cultigen used for production of alcohol (pulque

Pulque

Pulque, or octli, is a milk-colored, somewhat viscous alcoholic beverage made from the fermented sap of the maguey plant, and is a traditional native beverage of Mexico. The drink’s history extends far back into the Mesoamerican period, when it was considered sacred, and its use was limited to...

) and fiber (henequen

Henequen

Henequen is an agave whose leaves yield a fiber also called henequen which is suitable for rope and twine, but not of as high a quality as sisal. Alternative spellings are Henequin and Heniquen. It is the major plantation fiber agave of eastern Mexico, being grown extensively in Yucatán,...

).

Otomi Language

The Otomi language

Otomi language

Otomi is an Oto-Manguean language and one of the indigenous languages of Mexico, spoken by approximately 240,000 indigenous Otomi people in the central altiplano region of Mexico. The language is spoken in many different dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible, therefore it is in...

 is part of the Oto-Manguean languages

Oto-Manguean languages

Oto-Manguean languages are a large family comprising several families of Native American languages. All of the Oto-Manguean languages that are now spoken are indigenous to Mexico, but the Manguean branch of the family, which is now extinct, was spoken as far south as Nicaragua and Costa Rica.The...

 family, which also includes Chichimeca Jonaz, Mazahua, Pame, Ocuilteco, and Matlatzinca, which belong to the Otomangean language group (consisting of the Amuzgoan, Chinantecan, Mixtecan, Otopamean, Popolocan, Tlapanecan, and Zapotecan language

Zapotec language

The Zapotec language are a group of closely related indigenous Mesoamerican languages spoken by the Zapotec people from the southwestern-central highlands of Mexico. Present-day native speakers are estimated to number over half a million, with the majority inhabiting the state of Oaxaca....

 families). The Otomi of the Valle de Mezquital speak nHa:nHu while the Otomi south of Querétaro

Querétaro

Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....

 speak nHa:nHo, together amounting to 300,000 people (some 5 to 6 percent is monolingual), most of whom live in the states

States of Mexico

The United Mexican States is a federal republic formed by 32 federal entities .According to the Constitution of 1917, the states of the federation are free and sovereign. Each state has their own congress and constitution, while the Federal District has only limited autonomy with a local Congress...

 of Hidalgo (Valle de Mezquital), México

Mexico (state)

México , officially: Estado Libre y Soberano de México is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of the United Mexican States. It is divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Toluca de Lerdo....

, Puebla

Puebla

Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....

, Querétaro

Querétaro

Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....

, 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....

, Michoacán

Michoacán

Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...

 and Veracruz

Veracruz

Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...

.

The Site

The site and remains of prehispanic constructions are scattered over an extensive area, between modern and colonial constructions as well as agricultural fields.

Unfortunately site investigations were halted a couple of years ago, in spite of the fact that several unexplored mounds are identified in the zone.

It has different structures that comprise a central structures complex, from which ancient settlers small constructions groups and residential were distributed, Chichimeca

Chichimeca

Chichimeca was the name that the Nahua peoples of Mexico generically applied to a wide range of semi-nomadic peoples who inhabited the north of modern-day Mexico and southwestern United States, and carried the same sense as the European term "barbarian"...

 vestiges were found, dating back to 1173 AD.

The groups are “La Muralla”, “La Estancia”, “La Comunidad”, El Grupo “Santa Maria”, “San Marcos and Santiago”.

Among the remaining archaeological vestiges is the Wall constructed between the San Bernardino and Chapingo rivers; the section better preserved is located west of the ex-convent. Towards the east are two basements, on top of the structure called “La Comunidad” are remains of rooms with furnaces.

Structures

The archeological site preserves an enigmatic set of battlement walls built between the San Bernardino and Chapingo rivers; the better preserved section is west of the former convent.

Towards the east two plinths can be visited, on top of the “La Comunidad” section are remains of rooms with tlecuiles or braziers.

Over the San Bernardino river are several prehispanic architectonic sets, two are specially interesting; the circular basement is a sample of temples dedicated to Ehécatl, “Wind God” (invocation of Quetzalcoatl), next to it is a small foundation, probably from a previous or contemporary to the first circular stage construction.

At the location of structures 1 and 2, is an INAH office, with an attentive keeper, that readily provides site information and literature.

The Santiago chapel is an example of the form in which spaniards religiously converted American natives; the small chapel was built over a prehispanic building (perhaps the most important).

Other two sets are the Observatory or San Marcos and Santa Maria, in the Santa Maria the different constructive stages are remarkable, and the use of pumice stone in the construction works.

The following numbers assigned to each structure are arbitrary, used for the sake of structure identification, in relation to the site plan. The orientation of all structures deviate from cardinal directions.

Structure 1

This platform represents the largest remaining structure, it is oriented east-west measuring some 48 square meters and there are indications of important constructive details.

On its western side is a large access stairway about 15 meters wide with 4 meter alfardas in both sides, except for a few sections, all other sides are now destroyed.

The northern side has, at both corners, remains of the side wall and stucco remains, that probably covered the entire building, the color with which was probably painted is not visible. The North West corner has a lower “C” shaped structure about 6 meters below the current terrain, probably an indication of several stages of construction. Its purpose is not known. (See Lower Structure photograph)

Structure 2

This structure measures some 40 by 32 meters, it is east of Structure 1 and somewhat lower. Its orientation is also east – west and its alignment is shifted a few degrees. Due to its proximity, it is possible it was associated with the functions of Structure 1, possibly used for residential purposes.

Although no details of access stairways remain, on its western side, facing structure 1, is a sort of a ramp leading to and from structure 1.

On top of this structure there are several rooms, with access from a central hallway. The floor and wall remains have traces of red painted stucco. There are three square holes probably used as braziers, for cooking and heating purposes.

Structure 3

It is located to the south-east of the previous structures; it is highly destroyed measuring some 31 by 10 meters (101 by 34 ft.). It is a rectangular building, with remains of the perimeter wall standing; apparently it had several rooms, indicated by remains of internal dividing walls. It is located inside a fence.<

Structure 4

Ehécatl round temple probably used for ceremonial purposes, measuring some 15 meters in diameter. The structure has three stacked concentric round stages.

This structure has a square structure attached on its eastern side, and its overall length is about 25 meters, the square structure measures some 10 meters wide. This square structure probably had an access stairway, and depicts various structural details, for unknown purposes. On its south side there is another square structure, detached. It measure about 10 square meters possibly associated with ceremonies conducted in the temple.

Structure 5

This structure is located some 500 meters west of structure 4. It is an irregular rectangular shape platform with some remaining walls and floors, measuring some 17.45 by 16.37 meters (57.24 by 53.7 ft.). It is located inside a fence.

Structure 6

This structure is represented by a stone masonry prehispanic bridge. Its overall length at the top is about 21.5 meters long by 4.9 meters wide (70 by 16 ft.). It has an equilateral pointed arch type construction, measures some 16 meters long, by 5 meters wide. The bridge top is about 15 meters over the ravine and river below, and has a clear span of about 7 meters and it keystone is about 8 meters high.

A peculiarity of this structure consists of an attached structure on the bridge south west corner that protrudes about six meters. Its purpose and characteristics are unknown.

Structure 7

This structure comprises several construction remains, and it is located across the river, south from structure 1. It consists of two irregular structures and walls remains.

Structure 9

This structure represents remains of a defensive wall that probably surrounded the city. The structure measures about 6 meters high; with battlement protrusions extending two to three meters above. The walls are tapered with a width of about three meters at the bottom tapering down to about one meter at the top.

The walls are currently used to delimit private property areas, and the west side of the chapel.

Further Reading

• Hicks, Frederic (1982) Tetzcoco in the Early 16th Century: The State, the City and the Calpolli. American Ethnologist 9:230-249.

• Offner, Jerome A. (1983) Law and Politics in Aztec Texcoco. Cambridge University Press, New York.
• Texcoco (altepetl)

• Pictures of Otomi weaving styles
• Film about Otomis
• Prehispanic Mesoamerican Codices