page_title: Teotenango
section_title: Excavated structures at the site
hierarchical_section_title: Teotenango / Excavated structures at the site
caption_attribution_description: English: Ballcourt (Conjunto D) as viewed from west at Teotenango, Tenango del Valle, Mexico State
context_page_description: Teotenango was an important pre-Hispanic fortified city located in the southern part of the Valley of Toluca. It was initially founded during the last stages of the Teotihuacan civilization by a group generally referred to as the “Teotenancas.” Later, the Matlatzincas conquered the city and expanded it. The city existed for about 1,000 years, being abandoned only after the Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire.
  The name Teotenango is derived from three Nahuatl words: “teotl”, “tenamitl” and “co” which lends itself to different translations such as “in the place of the divine wall, ” or “in the place of the original fortification” or “in the place of the all of the gods.” However, “teotl” began to be used to distinguish this pre-Hispanic site from the town that was constructed in the valley below by the Spanish after the Conquest. This is confirmed by the Teutenanco Chronicles, written in 1582, but the Original Chronicles of Chalco-Amaquemecan state that the site was also known as “Cozcuauhtenanco” due to the Teotenaca-Matlatzinca military order that protected the city.
context_section_description: The site consists of five major groupings of buildings called “conjuntos” labeled A, B, C, D, and E. Conjunto D is more commonly referred to as the Plaza del Serpiente (Plaza of the Serpent). Conjunto E is more commonly referred to as the ball court area. Buildings within each of the conjuntos are denoted with numbers, such as 1A, 1B, etc. The archeological site has more than forty excavated and at least partially restored monuments.
  The main entrance to the city is through the Plaza of the Jaguar, which lies on the hill on the north side just below the level of the rest of the city. From this plaza a series of stone steps takes one up to the city level. The Jaguar Relief shows as seated jaguar, wearing a medallion around its neck and it is in the process of eating a kind of flower or heart. To the left of this image is the representation of the date marker Two Rabbit and to the right is the date marker Nine House.  One of the interpretations of this set of reliefs is that it represents the occurrence of an eclipse. The Jaguar represents some kind of earth monster eating the sun, represented by the flower or heart figure. An eclipse did indeed occur on the date Two Rabbit Nine House on the Aztec calendar.
  Conjuntos A and B each consist of a plaza with a temple pyramid or pyramid base with one or more smaller buildings associated with it. Both are located at the extreme east of the excavated zone, near where the hill's steep slopes to the valley floor begin. Conjunto B contains a nearly complete pyramid with a small altar in front and various platforms for dwellings. Some of the structures here show Otomi architectural influence. Buildings here were roofed with thick layers of mud reinforced with poles and had stucco floors which contain evidence of cooking/heating fires.
  Conjunto C is a small group of buildings just behind to west of the Jaguar relief and the main stairs entering the city. This area contains some of the oldest exposed structures at the site.
  The Plaza de la Serpiente (Conjunto D) is located in the western part of the excavated area. The largest structure here is the Serpent Base which measures 120 m long by 40 m wide. The name of the plaza and the building come from a sculpted stone found at the northeast corner of the Serpent Base, formed in the shape of a snake's head. A smaller structure, denoted 1D, is a base 90 cm high divided into various rooms with interior patios. These patios are square and contain drainage system for wastewater. The structure also contains an entrance hallway and pits for fires in the interior.
  The Calle de la Rana (Frog Street) is located in the far northwest of the excavated site. It is a cleared area which lies at a lower level than the structures surrounding it. Through it, access was gained to the Plaza del Serpiente. Its name comes from a sculpture of a frog done in a rock from the hill which juts out. The Matlatzincas built their western defensive wall along this street.
  The defensive walls of the city were mostly constructed by the Matlatzincas, who conquered the city in 1200 C.E. The largest and most intact are located on the west side of the city which reach heights of 10 meters and are up to 1.5 meters wide.  These were constructed without mortar and took advantage of the contours of the land. This wall was about two meters long and stretch from north to south on the west side.
  The ball court area (Conjunto E) lies to the south of the Plaza de la Serpiente and Conjunto C. The court is sunken and I-shaped, with the top and bottom of the “I” facing east and west.  The actual play space is the body of the “I” which is bordered by walls that first head up vertical from the floor, then steeply incline away from the play area. On the lower, vertical parts of the wall, the stone rings were placed for scoring. Construction denoted as 2E is a grouping of residential structures that are some of the oldest in the city.
  The temazcal, or ritual/purification steam bath is located on the east side of the ballgame complex. There is a shallow hole in the center of the area where rock
caption: Looking over the ball court to the east
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