The Cacaxtla Gran Basamento

The Cacaxtla archaeological site, located in Tlaxcala, Mexico, stands as a compelling archaeological testament from the Epiclassic period (650-950 AD). This elevated complex, is strategically positioned to oversee fertile plains at the South and surrounded by the Sierra Nevada and the Popocatepetl volcano on the West, and the Malinche Volcano at North. The Acropolis, also called Great Basement, is one of the three settlements that configure the Xochitecatl-Cacaxtla prehispanic city. While public monuments and temples were built 500 meters at the West of the Acropolis, commoner settlements were on the hills of present-day village of Nativitas. Of particular interest are the manifestation of elite occupations in the architectural layout and iconography of the site. The expansive palace-like structures, ceremonial courtyards, and elaborate murals collectively signify the presence of a ruling class exercising both political and religious authority. The mural compositions, depicting individuals adorned in regalia engaged in ceremonial and warfare activities, accentuate the elite nature of the Acropolis. But they also demonstrate how strategic this place was after Teotihuacan's fall and decline, as it became a trading and ideological center where goods, people, and ideologies converged from other parts of ancient Mesoamerica: