Old Piles of Words Because the word is mightier than the stone.

Cacaxtla and Xochitecatl

That old pile of stones that we absolutely did not want to miss between Puebla and Mexico city was actually two distinct piles, one called Cacaxtla and the other Xochitecatl (things are getting harder to pronounce, no?). What could be so interesting about these sights to make us sacrifice an entire day in Mexico City to see them, you ask? Read on to find out.

Despite being located very close to one of Mexico's most traveled highways linking Puebla and Mexico City, these two sites are quite difficult to get to in public transit. While the entire route between the two modern cities is only two hours, it took us almost as long (with a couple of bus changes) to get from Puebla to our first stop in Cacaxtla.

Once there, however, we did not regret the stop one bit. Cacaxtla was discovered relatively late for a Mexican ruin (in 1978) which means that proper excavation and preservation took place and the site is a real joy to see. The entire city center has been covered under a massive aluminum roof, which kind of ruins the panoramic views that the hilltop location affords, but what the roof is protecting is far more precious. The stuccoed walls of the many palaces in Cacaxtla all bore detailed murals, masterpieces of art.

Cacaxtla was founded around 400 CE in a rich agricultural area just southeast of modern Mexico City that was, at the time, probably dominated by Teotihuacan. We don't know exactly who lived here, but their painting style is heavily influenced by the Maya and they probably migrated into the central valley from somewhere on the central Gulf Coast, near the former Olmec region. Some even go so far as to suggest that the Cacaxtlanos were descendants of the Olmecs, but the leap in time between the latter's disappearance in 400 BCE and the foundation of Cacaxtla makes this a bit doubtful. The city reached its apex both artistically and economically after Teotihuacan declined in the 7th century. It was abandoned around the year 1000 CE, for reasons unknown.

Just a kilometer away from Cacaxtla on the next hilltop lies the remains of Xochitecatl. Despite their immediate proximity, a visitor cannot walk between them because the police closed the trail after a series of robberies. The alternative is a 5 kilometer walk down the one hill, through a dismal little town and up the other hill on dusty roads with almost no traffic. This seemed even more dangerous to us, but we followed the police's instructions anyway.

Anyway, the ruins of Xochitecatl are less impressive than those of Cacaxtla, but they tell a rather more interesting story. Xochitecatl was a very old city, having been founded around 1000 BCE and becoming a major regional power by 300 BCE. However, the city was abandoned after a volcanic eruption in 150 CE. Of the current ruins, one unusual circular pyramid and a couple of other mounds date from this period. This period is also notable for its use of monolithic stone monuments. Huge boulders were hauled from far afield and hollowed into cauldrons and, in one impressive case, an actual pool complete with drain. Due to sacrificed remains of infants found in the site it is thought that these monuments had to do with worship to the rain god.

Farmers eventually moved back into the valley, and expediently decided to reuse the abandoned pyramids for their religious needs. By 600 CE, these farmers had been incorporated into the social organization of Cacaxtla, and Cacaxtla effectively annexed Xochitecatl for use as a secondary religious center. It built another temple and a larger, square pyramid during this period. Xochitecatl was abandoned at the same time as Cacaxtla.

We hope you enjoy the pictures!

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