Xochicalco

Xochicalco was founded around 650 AD by the Olmeca-Xicallanca, which are a Mayan group of traders from Campeche. It was a major trading center at the intersection of several major trading routes. The city continued to prosper until 900 AD when the city was burned and destroyed. 

A beautiful reproduction

Time line of the various mesoamerica cultures

This sculpture is known as the Red Lord depicts a seated figure whose body is represented as the roots of a tree. In place oof the heads the sculpture has a halo composed of feathers. The Red Lord was the patron god of the ruling nobility. 

Big site, many stairs

Photo by Kevin

You can see the goal rings laying in the middle of the ball court.

One of the highlights of Xochicalco is the astronomical observatory. I was very disappointed that it was closed. It is a cave where a hole in the ceiling admits a shaft of light to enter from April 30th to August 15th. In the sun's movement towards the Tropic of Cancer and upon their return, respectively, on 14/15 May and 28/29 July, the sun is at its zenith and the astronomical noon, the beam of light falls directly through the chimney showing the image of the sun on the floor of the cave.

Ruth and Kevin

The most interesting structure is the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. The detailed carvings allowed the archeologists to reassemble the pyramid like a giant jig saw puzzle.

The Feathered Serpent.

We drove a short distance to Centro Ecoturistico Tetlamatzin for the night. I was tight, but we are all tucked in for the night. 18.823391  -99.294277