El Tajín
- Tajín is also the name of a Mexican seasoning containing chile peppers, lime, and salt.
| El Tajin, Pre-Hispanic City* | |
|---|---|
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
 |
|
| State Party |  Mexico |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | iii, iv |
| Reference | 631 |
| Region† | Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Inscription History | |
| Inscription | 1992 (16th Session) |
|
* Name as
inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO. |
|
El Tajín is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site near the present-day city of Papantla, in the Mexican state of Veracruz. It was the major site of the Classic Veracruz culture and one of the largest cities in western Mesoamerica during the Classic era.
Tajín means city or place of thunder in the Totonac language, and is believed to have been one of the names for the Totonac god of thunder, lightning and rain.
History of El Tajín
Construction of ceremonial buildings at El Tajín began about the 1st century and peaked in the Late Classic era, roughly 600 - 900 CE.[1] Early Classic Tajín shows influence of Teotihuacan; early Post-classic shows considerable Toltec influence. Construction continued to about the start of the 13th century, at which time, according to tradition, the city was conquered and burned by Chichimec invaders. The site continued to be occupied after this by a smaller population, but no new large construction projects were initiated. The site had been completely abandoned when Spanish conquistadors arrived in the early 16th century.
In 1785 engineer Diego Ruiz visited the site, now overgrown with vegetation, and published the first description of it. In the early 19th century it was visited by Guillermo Dupaix, Alexander von Humboldt, and Carlos Nebel, who published additional accounts. The first archaeological excavation of the site was made by Jose Garcia Payon from 1943 through 1963. The Mexican Institute of Anthropology & History has made additional restoration to buildings at the site since the 1980s.
Monuments
The ceremonial center of the site is covers only about 1 km square, but there are mostly unexcavated remains of subsidiary buildings extending for a considerable distance beyond.
The ceremonial center has number of temple-pyramids, palaces, and several courts for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame.
The site's most famous building is the Pyramid of the Niches. The step pyramid of 6 terraces is some 60 feet high. While only medium as Mesoamerican pyramids go, the ornamented architecture creates a striking and visually pleasing effect. The terraces are of well cut stone forming a series of 365 niches. A staircase rises up the pyramid's east side. Originally the pyramid was topped by a temple, but little remains of this.
A number of the buildings have carved relief on them, and the site also has some free standing stone stelae. Many of the sculptures depict the ritual ballgame and ritual bloodletting by the elite.
The site is now a tourist destination, and has a moderate sized museum.
Notes
- ^ Coe, p. 118.
References
- Coe, Michael D. (1994) Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs, Thames & Hudson, 4th edition, ISBN 0-500-27722-2.
See also
| World Heritage Sites in Mexico | |
|---|---|
|
Agave Landscape and Ancient Industrial Facilities of Tequila · Ancient Maya City of Calakmul, Campeche · Archaeological Monuments Zone of Xochicalco · Archaeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes · Central University City Campus of the UNAM · Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl · El Tajín, Pre-Hispanic City · Franciscan Missions in the Sierra Gorda of Querétaro · Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco · Historic Centre of Morelia · Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán · Historic Centre of Puebla · Historic Centre of Zacatecas · Historic Fortified Town of Campeche · Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro · Historic Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan · Historic Town of Guanajuato, and Adjacent Mines · Hospicio Cabañas, Guadalajara · Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California · Luis Barragán House and Studio · Pre-Hispanic City of Chichen Itza · Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacán · Pre-Hispanic City and National Park of Palenque · Pre-Hispanic Town of Uxmal · Rock Paintings of Sierra de San Francisco · Sian Ka'an · Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino |
|
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
