The Mexican Central Highlands
October 2010
Teopanzolco

Enrique and I 1st visited the ruins of Teopanzolco.  The ruins are located within the town of Cuernavaca.  They are in fact well hidden and took our driver quite a while to find them.  You really cannot see the ruins from the road, even though 2 streets run alongside the ruins; that is how well hidden they are.


According to the INAH Plaque accompanying this site, the name “Teopanzolco” comes from the Nahuatl word meaning “in the old temple”.  Teopanzolco was a major political-religious center just outside ancient Cuauhnahuac.  Neighboring towns called the inhabitants Tlahuicas.  According to archaeologists the Tlahuicas settled in western Morelos in the mid-13th Century A.D.  The Tlahuicas came from the mythical Aztlan, which they left together with other Nahua tribes who occupied lands on the central plateau.  After several hard battles, the Mexicas (Aztecs) under Tlatoani Itzcoatl took control over the Morelos area and incorporated it into their empire in 1427 A.D.  Mexica domination of Tlahuica territory was mirrored in several aspects, including a similar architectural style and the cult to the same gods in religious rites and ceremonies.  The main buildings, construction bases, and platforms on which temples were erected are al arranged around the plaza and only the social elite were allowed to enter.


According to the LONELY PLANET Guide to Mexico, 9th Edition, published September 2004, ISBN 1-74059-686-2, Page 229, the archaeological site is located in Colonia Vista Hermosa.  The name “Teopanzolco” means “Place of the Old Temple” and may relate to an ancient construction west of the Temple of Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, where archaeologists found artifacts dating from around 7,000B.C., as well as others with an Olmec influence.

The Temple of Tlaloc and Huitzilpochtli, with the Temple of Tezcatlipoca behind and to the left of it, at Teopanzolco.