The Gran Basamento, protected by its sheet-metal roof

View over the top of the Gran Basamento

Cacaxtla is an archaeological site located near the southern border of the Mexican state of Tlaxcala. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech/discourse) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains and environmental data, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... The United Mexican States or Mexico (Estados Unidos Mexicanos or México) is a federal republic made up of 31 states (estados) and one Federal District, (Distrito Federal), which contains the capital, Mexico City. ... This article is about the Mexican state Tlaxcala. ...

History

Cacaxtla was the capital of region inhabited by the Olmeca-Xicalanca people. It is not known with certainly the origins of the Olmeca-Xicalanca, but they are assumed to come from the Gulf coast region, and were perhaps Maya settlers who arrived in this part of central Mexico around 400 CE. Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ... 74. ... Events First invasion of Italy by Alaric (probable date). ...

The term "Olmeca-Xicalanca" was first mentioned by Tlaxcalan historian Diego Muñoz Camargo at the end of the 16th century. This historian described Cacaxtla as the principal settlement of the “Olmeca”, although what we today refer to as the Olmec culture ended ~400 BCE, that is, almost 800 years earlier. Era Vulgaris redirects here. ...

After the fall of the nearby city Cholula (ca. 650 - 750) -- in which the Cacaxtlecas might have been involved -- Cacaxtla became the hegemonic power in this part of the Tlaxcala–Puebla valley. Its ascendancy came to an end around 900 CE and, by 1000, the city had been abandoned. The Roman Catholic church of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios overlooks the town of Cholula from atop the Great Pyramid. ... Events Persian scientist, Rhazes, distinguished smallpox from measles in the course of his writings. ... Europe in 1000 The year 1000 of the Gregorian Calendar was the last year of the 10th century as well as the last year of the first millennium. ...

Modern history of the site

The site was rediscovered in 1975 by looters, but quickly came to the attention of archaeologists that same year. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

The city

The centre of the city of Cacaxtla was the 200-metre-long, 25-metre-high Gran Basamento – a natural platform offering a fine defensive position and commanding views over the surrounding terrain. The city's main religious and civil buildings were located on this platform, as were the residences of the priest class. Several other smaller pyramids and temple bases stand in the vicinity of the main platform.

Detail from the Battle Mural

Because Cacaxtla's main basamento was not excavated until the 1980s, many of the original coloured wall decorations have been preserved and can be appreciated in situ by visitors to the site. Of particular interest is the fact that most of the murals seem to combine the symbology of Altiplano cultures with influences from the Maya, making Cacaxtla unique in this regard. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (852x640, 77 KB) Closeup of the Battle Mural Cacaxtla archaeological site Tlaxcala, Mexico Photo taken by Hajor, Jul. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (852x640, 77 KB) Closeup of the Battle Mural Cacaxtla archaeological site Tlaxcala, Mexico Photo taken by Hajor, Jul. ... The 1980s refers to the years of and between 1980 and 1989. ... The Altiplano (Spanish for high plain), where the Andes are at their widest, is the most extensive area of high plateau on earth outside of Tibet. ... 74. ...

The most famous of Cacaxtla's preserved paintings is the "Battle Mural", or Mural de la batalla, located in the northern plaza of the basamento. Dating from prior to 700, it is placed on the sloping limestone wall of a temple base and is split in two by a central staircase. It depicts two groups of warriors locked in battle: on the one side are Olmec jaguar warriors, armed with spears, obsidian knives, and round shields, who are clearly trouncing an invading army of Huastec bird warriors (some of whom are shown naked and in various stages of dismemberment). // Events Saint Adamnan convinces 51 kings to adopt Cáin Adomnáin defining the relationship between women and priests. ... Monument 1, one of the four Olmec colossal heads at La Venta. ... It has been suggested that Huastecs be merged into this article or section. ...

Visiting the site

Detail from the Battle Mural

The archaeological site is maintained by the government National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) and is open to the public every day of the week, from 09:00 to 18:00. In addition to the ruins, there is a small but well presented museum containing models of how the city appeared in its heyday and a collection of artifacts found on the site. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1000 × 1000 pixel, file size: 136 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Closeup of the Battle Mural Cacaxtla archaeological site Tlaxcala, Mexico Photo taken by Hajor, Jul. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 600 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1000 × 1000 pixel, file size: 136 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Closeup of the Battle Mural Cacaxtla archaeological site Tlaxcala, Mexico Photo taken by Hajor, Jul. ... The Mexican Institute Nacional de Antropología e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History known as INAH for its Spanish abbreviation) is the federal government bureau established in 1939 to guarantee the research, preservation, protection, and promotion of the prehistoric, archaeological, anthropological, historical, and paleontological heritage of Mexico. ...

See also

• Xochitécatl, a neighbouring archaeological site, some 2 km to the west.

External links

• INAH
• Tour by Mexico
• INAOEP

Coordinates: 19°18′N, 98°20′W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...