Chimalhuacán (archaeological site) facts for kids

Chimalhuacán is an amazing ancient place in Mexico. It's an archaeological site located in the eastern part of the Mexico State. The name "Chimalhuacán" comes from the Nahuatl language. It means "Place of Shields." The word "Atenco" also comes from Nahuatl and means "at the water side."

This area is very important for understanding ancient Mesoamerican civilizations. In 1984, scientists found the remains of the "Chimalhuacán Man." These remains are about 12,000 years old! This makes Chimalhuacán one of the oldest places where people lived in Mesoamerica.

The symbol for Chimalhuacán is a round shield on a hill. This might refer to the "Chimalhuache" hill, which is a mountain near the site.

History of Chimalhuacán

The ancient city of Chimalhuacán was founded in 1259. Three brothers, named Huauxomatl, Chalchiutlatonac, and Tlatzcantecuhtli, started the city. They came from places called Tula and Colhuacan.

At first, the people spoke Chichimec and Mexica languages. Over time, their customs blended together. Nahuatl became the main language spoken in the area.

Chimalhuacán was part of the Texcoco kingdom. This meant it was also part of the powerful Aztec Triple Alliance starting in 1431. The Triple Alliance included the cities of México-Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan. These cities ruled over a large part of what is now Mexico.

The site is also known as "Los Pochotes." It's one of the few examples of palace buildings from the late Postclassical period (1200-1521 CE) in the Basin of Mexico. Even though people lived here much earlier, the palace you can see today was built around 1250 AD. Chimalhuacán became an important city that paid taxes to Texcoco.

When Was Chimalhuacán Inhabited?

Chimalhuacán was home to people during three main time periods:

Early Times: Late Preclassical Period

The first people probably lived here between 400 and 100 BCE. This was a very long time ago!

Middle Times: Classical Period

There is also proof that people lived here during the Classical period. This was between 200 and 450 CE.

Later Times: Postclassical Period

People lived in Chimalhuacán during two parts of the Postclassical period. The early part was from 800 to 1000 CE. The later part was from 1100 to 1521 CE, right up until the Spanish arrived.

Important Events in Chimalhuacán's History

Chimalhuacán saw some major events unfold:

The Crowning of Nezahualcóyotl

Before Nezahualcóyotl became the ruler of Texcoco, something important happened. Troops from the Triple Alliance, including those from México-Tenochtitlan, marched to Texcoco. They traveled through the Santa Martha plains.

When they reached Chimalhuacán, the ruler of Tenochtitlan, Itzcoatl (who ruled from 1427–1440), made an important announcement. He offered forgiveness to any villages that had fought against them. This included Huexotla, which had sided with the Tepaneca. Itzcóatl said that if they surrendered, they would be pardoned. If not, the allied troops would attack their city.

Huexotla decided to fight. The battle was short. Itzcóatl's successor, Moctezuma I (who ruled from 1440–1469), captured their king. The troops of Huexotla soon gave up. After this, Nezahualcóyotl was officially made the ruler of Texcoco.

Moctezuma I's First Visit

Moctezuma I, also known as Moctezuma Ilhuicamina, visited Chimalhuacán twice. This was probably because it was close to Texcoco Lake and Tenochtitlan.

Once, Moctezuma was captured by the Chalcas people. They wanted to offer him to Huejotzingo, but Huejotzingo refused. Then, Moctezuma was taken to Maxtla, the ruler of Azcapotzalco. Maxtla wasn't interested in him either. Finally, a person named Cuateotl freed Moctezuma. Cuateotl told him to go back to México-Tenochtitlan by way of Chimalhuacán.

Moctezuma I's Second Visit

Moctezuma's second visit to Chimalhuacán happened after a big victory. He was with Nezahualcóyotl after they defeated the Tepaneca people.

What Structures Can We See?

The archaeological area of Chimalhuacán covers about one hectare (about 2.5 acres). The buildings found here were part of a palace where a governor lived during the Aztec period.

Sadly, the Spanish destroyed many of the original Chimalhuacán buildings. They then built their own chapels on top of them.

Remaining Structures

• Three-platform Pyramid: This was likely a temple or important building.
• Ballgame Court: Ancient Mesoamerican people played a special ballgame here.
• Stone Serpent: A sculpture of a serpent made of stone.

Ancient Animal Traces

Chimalhuacán was once part of the flat land around Texcoco Lake. Long, long ago, huge animals like Mammoths and Bison lived near the lake's shores.

Scientists have found remains of mammoths and other animals from the Pleistocene period here. This period ended about 12,000 years ago. They also found stone tools made by humans.

The most exciting discovery was a very well-preserved human skeleton. It was found in 1984 and is called the "Chimalhuacán Man." Scientists believe it might be the oldest human skeleton found in Mexico!

Site Museum

The Chimalhuacán archaeological zone has its own museum. Here, you can see exhibits of the ancient animals from the Pleistocene period. You can also see other interesting items found at the site.

See also

In Spanish: Chimalhuacán (zona arqueológica) para niños