Xochicalco Archaeological Site

Xochicalco is an ancient city in the present-day state of Morelos. Most international visitors will arrive here after touring some of the other parts of Morelos, or the very south of Mexico City. Xochicalco is the Nahuatl name, meaning “in the place of the house of flowers.” The name is composed of xóchi (tl) (flower), cal(li) (house) and co, the locative meaning “place of.”

The city is from the Epiclassic period between 700-900 C.E. although it’s believed to have been founded in about 650CE. It’s often referred to with other cities that emerged after the fall of Teotihuacan. The next several hundreds years include migrations of many groups of people. Several groups arrived here. The reliefs here suggest the influence of not just Teotihuacan peoples, but Maya people from much further away.

Xochicalco was founded by Olmeca-Xicalanca. They were Maya traders originally from the area of present-day Campeche. The city maintained a population of between 10,000 and 15,000 residents. The civilization lasted some 200+ years as an important commercial and religious center along several trade routes of the era.

The city’s mountaintop position is thought to reflect ceremonial importance, rather than a purely defensive need. The site is also famous for an astronomical observatory in a cave accessed through a rock staircase.