XOCHICALCO 

The Xochicalco archaeological zone is situated in the southwestern part of the state of Morelos, 23 miles from the city of Cuernavaca. Take the route 95 Mexico City-Acapulco Highway and turn off at the road to Alpuyeca. Before you get to El Rodeo Lagoon you will come across the state highway which will take you to Xochicalco.  

Xochicalco, which means "In the place of the House of the Flowers", lies atop an array of low-lying hills, the main ones of which are known as La Bodega, La Malinche, and Xochicalco. The site was laid out and built in accordance with a carefully contrived urbanization plan. The summit of Xochicalco hill was graded so as to facilitate the construction of the main buildings, and the slopes, too, were altered to provide room for homes and terraces to prevent easy access to the site. Xochicalco reached its height as one of the great cities of Meso-America in Late Classic times (AD 650-900). Most of the monumental architecture now visible was constructed during that period.  I think this could be considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world at the time it was constructed.  It is a very well thought out design of terraces, streets, plazas and buildings.  And located on the top of the mountain there is a fantastic view in every direction. 

The rise and development of Xochicalco is best understood in its relation to Teotihuacan, the dominant urban center in Meso-America throughout the Classic Period. According to some researchers, Xochicalco must have risen following the abandonment of that center of the central plateau in order to fill in the economic and political power vacuum created by the decline.   

This is the view as you enter the city.

Ceremonial Plaza. Located at the highest point of the center of Xochicalco's urban layout. It may have been the site's main ceremonial enclosure. The fact that none of the site's roads and streets led to this aggregate, access to which was furthermore possible only by ladder, indicates the special, private nature of the activities carried out there. Inside this walled court yard are several of the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent, Structure A, the chamber of Offerings, and the still unexcavated Mound 2, which may have been the residence of the site's ruling class. 

Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent. It is the site's only monumental structure with decoration in relief. Remains of pigment in various colors at several points lead to the deduction that the whole structure was painted.  

In 1963 remains were found of two substructures built previously to those visible today, as well as of ferings and burials. The main motif depicts Quetzalcoatl as the plumed serpent. It is to be noted that the wooden beams of the stairway look like the ventral scales of a snake's body. The rest of the decorative elements are related to personages, cylindrical signs, and places. On the upper part there are, between the undulations of the serpent, several human figures, some with the slash denoting the spoken word. The may represent priests or great chieftains. In combination with these dignitaries can be seen the sign for fire together with a date (symbolized by one bar and four dots). On the sides, above this first body, there are reproductions of priests with their calendar names. On the upper part of the structure are found human figures identifiable as warriors because some wear helmets and feathered headdress and hold atlatl, that is, lance throwers. These figures are shown with place symbols and their names. On the left of the staircase there is a remarkable carving which shows sign 5 calli, "house", being joined with sign 11 ozomatli, "monkey", by a personage standing behind and pulling "monkey" with a rope. This has been interpreted as a calendar correction or adjustment. Thus the most common idea as to the function of the structure is that it commemorates a meeting of priests and great chieftains for the adjustment of the Meso-American calendar, although the monument may have other meanings. 

Estructura A. Around a court yard at its top there are two halls and the Temple of the Steles, so called because of three steles found in a stone encasement beneath the flooring. These steles are now on display at the National Museum of Anthropology. They are carved in low relief and exhibit remains of red or vermilion paint. They narrate various events related to Quetzalcoatl such as the Venusian cycle, wherein Venus is transformed into Quetzalcoatl, who represents this god as the lord of time with respect to his invention of the calendar, as well as to his creation of the Fifth Sun in Teotihuacan and his discovery of maize (corn). 

The Chamber of Offerings. This is a small building next to Structure A. It contains a single room or chamber in which an offering consisting of two smooth stone yokes related to the cultures of central Veracruz were found together with and anthropomorthic ax and a stone tablet with the hieroglyphs 5 or 10 acatl and 4 tochtli. These findings, as well as the Mayan and Zapotec glyphs uncovered in the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent, have been interpreted as evidence of close contacts between Xochicalco and distant areas. 

This was a pyramid on the main plaza. It is only partially reconstructed.

Main Plaza. Located south of the Ceremonial Plaza and at a lower level. In contrast to the latter plaza, it seems that this one was used for public activities. The local and regional populace had full access to the Central Plaza, as witnessed in the fact that the roads which cross the site converge on this square. For example, the main road which comes in from the valley to the south leads directly up to the base of Building , the site's largest. In the middle of this plaza between Buildings C and D, which may well have been used for public worship, there is a small altar with a stela which has two glyphs - 10 acatl and 9 reptile eye or wind, both related to quetzalcoatl. 

La Malinche. Located to the west of the Central Plaza. Its name derives from the as yet unexplored large structure shaped like the base of a column which overlooks the aggregate. 

Ball Court. This is one of the two buildings of this type excavated in the zone (the other, less elaborated, is located on the north side of the Ceremonial Plaza). Because of the size, shape, layout, and other features, it has been compared with several others in Mayan area. 

This is a picture of the ball court.  The goals are laying on the ground in the picture in real life they were mounted high on the walls of the court.  To get an idea of how large the walls and goals are not the people on the left side.

There was also a steam bath located next to the ball court where the players had a ritual cleansing before playing.  

To the south of this structure is a platform with 12 square support columns for the roof of as assembly hall, which my have been connected with the ball court ceremonies. 

Palace. It is one of the most complex and elaborate dwelling units on the site. To judge from the layout of quarters around sunken court yards, the size of the rooms with their square columns and stuccoed niches, and from such "extras" as drainage, tlecuilli (fireplaces) and temazcal (steam baths), the occupants were high-ranking individuals, perhaps priests responsible for conducting ceremonies at the nearby structures.

Caves. A number of caves have been located on the terraced slopes of Xochicalco Hill. According to Noguera, they were used by the site's inhabitants. The only cave explored to date, and possibly the most important one, is known as Los Amates or Observatory. Its interior was was modified in order to adapt it for use as an astronomical observatory. The floor and walls are stuccoed, and a hole was opened in the inmost chamber, where the movement of the sun was observed and recorded.

The city had no water supply like we know it, no rivers, no wells.  In this area of the world it rains a lot for 4 months a year.  After the rainy season you may not see any rain for 6 or 7 months.  Water was stored during the rainy season in Large cisterns located all over the city.  The plaza's and courtyards were cleverly designed to drain into the cisterns were the water was stored until needed.   

More pictures and a bit more information is on the next page. 

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