Tammapul facts for kids
Tammapul is an ancient ruin in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Its name means "Place of Mist" in the Huastec language. This old city was built by the Huastec civilization long before Christopher Columbus arrived. You can find Tammapul about 8 kilometers southeast of Tula city, right by the Tula lagoon.
Even though it's mainly a Huastec site, archaeologists found over 35,000 pieces of pottery there. These findings suggest that people from the Río Verde culture (from nearby San Luis Potosí) also lived or traded there.
History of Tammapul
Tammapul was a very important town between 600 and 900 AD. This time is called the Epi-Classic period. The first time anyone wrote about this ancient place was in 1570. Abraham Ortelius included it on his map of La Huasteca.
Later, in 1836, Toribio de la Torre wrote about Tammapul in his book. Sadly, during the 1700s and 1800s, many valuable things were taken from the site. People removed building stones, pottery, and art.
The first official study of Tammapul happened in 1830 by researchers from the University of Texas. In 1950, a historian named Joaquín Meade visited the area. His visit helped more experts become interested in the site.
In 1980, historian Octavio Herrera Pérez worked with local people. They dug up parts of the site and put a fence around the main pyramid. This helped protect it from being damaged again. Today, experts from the National Institute of Anthropology and History are still exploring Tammapul.
What the Site Looks Like
Tammapul has three round buildings connected by paved paths. The most famous building is "El Cuizillo," also known as the Tula Pyramid. This pyramid is shaped like a cone and stands 12 meters (about 39 feet) tall. It has three levels stacked on top of each other.
The bottom part of El Cuizillo is 41 meters (about 135 feet) wide. It is made of stones that were carefully cut and smoothed. The second level has stones that stick out from its sides. The top level, or center, is a round shape made of limestone.
El Cuizillo's unique design is not seen anywhere else in ancient Mesoamerica. However, other round pyramids can be found in places like Guachimontones, Cuicuilco, and Tzintzunzan. Also, the sticking-out features of El Cuizillo are similar to parts of Tula and Teotihuacan.
This mix of styles suggests that Tammapul was a meeting point for different Mesoamerican cultures. Its buildings show many different influences. In the Huastec culture, round pyramids were often built for Ehecatl, the god of wind. This might explain why Tammapul's name means "Place of Mist."
See also
In Spanish: Tammapul para niños
- La Huasteca
- Mesoamerican architecture
- Archaeology in Mexico
