Acatzingo de la Piedra - A monolithic pyramid in Central Mexico?

The summit of the monolithic pyramid known as the Cama de Moctezuma on the Cerro de la Malinche in Acatzingo de la Piedra, Mexico. [Photo by Author]

Acatzingo de la Piedra is an ancient fortified hilltop site in the municipality of Tenancingo, Mexico. It is located approximately 50 kilometers to the south of the state capital of Toluca and 100 kilometers to the southwest of Mexico City, near the Nevado de Toluca volcano. 

The site has never been excavated, but has been mapped and described in a 2010 publication by archaeologist Beatriz Zúñiga Bárcenas of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), and more recently by archaaeologist Vladimira Palma Linares of the UAEM Tenancingo. 

The site is one of only five known across Mexico to display significant examples of monolithic rock-cut architecture (the other four being Tezcotzingo and Malinalco, also in the state of Mexico, and the rock-cut shrines of Mazatepetl and Chapultepec in Mexico City). 

The ascent to the fortified citadel is possible through a trail that starts in the village of Acatzingo de la Piedra, along massive basalt cliffs offering breathtaking views of the valley of Toluca. The cliffs provided a natural defense for the site, and were complemented with defensive terraces and stone walls. 

The imposing basalt cliffs surrounding the site on three of its four sides. [Photo by Author]

Aerial view of the site of Acatzingo, protected by massive cliffs. [Photo by Author]

In places the exposed rock surface gives the appearance of an immense megalithic wall formed of huge cyclopean stones. The effect is indeed so strong that one wonders if some portions of the cliff face are not in fact ancient and very eroded stone walls, whose blocks appear to be carefully laid one on top of each other in regular rows. 

Is this just some strange geology or ancient megalithic stone walls? [Photo by Author]

More strange geology - Several huge stone boulders seemingly forming part a continuous megalithic stone wall. The question is - Natural or artificial? [Photo by Author] 

Walking along the cliff face, one passes an impressive and nearly vertical rock tower before reaching a portion of what appears to be another megalithic stone wall (or unusual geology?) on which a bas-relief of a goddess, probably Chalchiuhtlicue, but also identified with La Malinche, was carved during the Aztec (Late Post-Classic) period. The identification of the bas-relief with Chalchiuhtlicue, the goddess of terrestrial waters, seems appropriate given the presence of a natural spring gushing forth from behind the rock nearby. 

A massive rock pinnacle or tower on the approach to La Malinche. [Photo by Author]

Bas-relief carving of the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue, near a natural water spring on the Cerro de la Malinche. [Photo by Author]

A detail of the same carving with calendrical glyphs symbolically relating to the beginngin of the present World Age or Cycle and the New Fire ceremony celebrated every 52 years. [Photo by Author]

More unusual geology near the carving of the goddess Chalchiuhtlicue. The cliff face has the appearence of an ancient and very eroded megalithic wall of interlocking stone blocks. [Photo by Author]

Petroglyphs painted in white on the cliff face, including crosses and monograms, testifying to the colonial use and occupation of the site. [Photo by Author]

A perilous trail then leads along the edge of the cliff to an area of petroglyphs drawn in bright white on the rock face. The petroglyphs, mostly crosses, are almost certainly colonial in origin and do not appear to be of any great antiquity. We could not identify the location of another group of petroglyphs (these certainly prehispanic) described by Dr. Zuñiga in her 2010 paper, as the thick vegetation made the trail completely impassable.

One then reaches the base of what is perhaps the most significant monument of the entire site, known as Moctezuma's bed or "Cama de Moctezuma". As seen from below, it has the appearance of a massive carved monolith of gray andesite, rising in steps towards an irregular and partially flat-topped summit. The overall shape of the rock is quite irregular, with a trapezoidal base some 15 meters wide rising in at least 5 steps that narrow towards the summit, forming narrow ledges between them.

The monolithic pyramid known as the Cama de Moctezuma as seen from the narrow trail below. [Photo by Author]

Another view of the base of the same pyramid with carved steps. [Photo by Author]

The huge carved steps forming the body of the pyramid, each between 1 and 1.5 meters high. Unfortunately the thick vegetation and proximity to the cliff face makes it difficult to have a clear view of this most unusual monument. To take this picture we had to hang over the edge of the cliff by holding on to a tree. [Photo by Author]

More carved stone steps, each about 1 meter to 1.5 meters high, are also visible on the face of another huge rock monolith located about 20 meters downhill from the level of the "Cama de Moctezuma", suggesting that this is in fact a much larger, partially buried and likely unfinished structure.

As seen from the air with the aid of a drone, the area appears almost horseshoe shaped, with the largest pyramidal monolith occupying the center of it. 

The monolith itself was apparently separated from the natural bedrock by means of a deep-cut trench with nearly vertical walls, in which additional ledges and other carved steps are visible. This trench is now entirely filled with dirt, so that it is impossible to determine at present the depth at which lies the base of the monolith, or if other carvings are present below ground level.

The top of the monolith contains a rectangular depression 1.42 wide by 2.28 meters long, deeply carved into the natural bedrock and seemingly approached by two flights of stairs placed at a ninety degree angle with respect to each other. There we measured an azimuth of 104° E, which may be of astronomical significance. 

It is possible that the entire structure was never completed and remained unfinished. It is also possible, however, that its present appearance is due to deliberate destruction during colonial times. 

The summit of the huge pyramid-shaped monolith known as the Cama de Moctezuma, showing a neatly cut rectangular hollow and two small flights of steps approaching it at a ninety degree angle. [Photo by Author]

A detail of the two badly eroded and possibly unfinished flights of stairs approaching the summit of the monolith at a ninety degree angle to each other. Note the indentations and the artificially levelled summit of the monolith. [Photo by Author]

Some more indentations or steps on one side of the monolith. [Photo by Author]

A deep rock-cut trench separates the monolith from the surrounding bedrock. [Photo by Author]

An aerial view taken from the drone of the monolithic pyramid occupying the center of a horseshoe shaped formation. Some other huge carved boulders are visible near the base of the cliff to the left and right. [Photo by Author]

About one hundred meters to the south of this rock we found another partially buried stone covered in petroglyphs belonging to different historical periods. Among them we could observe a typical Aztec round shield, or chimalli, two coyote heads, a skull, two circles, a ceremonial knife and a flower. We also observed a petroglyph containing the depiction of a horse, evidence of the late occupation of the site during the early colonial period. The area where the petroglyphs are found appears to have been used as a megalithic stone quarry, from which some huge roughly hewn boulders were extracted. In many places it is possible to observe the holes made in order to splinter the huge boulders into smaller pieces.

A huge half-buried stone covered in petroglyphs in the southern part of the site. [Photo by Author]

A colonial petroglyph containing the depiction of a horse. Unlike the other prehispanic petroglyphs, this is much shallower and was likely realized with the use of metal tools. [Photo by Author]

Aztec petroglyphs showing a skull, two coyote heads and a figure of possible astronomical significance, likely a star or a comet. [Photo by Author]

An area of the megalithic stone quarry with huge partially finished and carved stone boulders near the southern portion of the site and the petroglyph rock. [Photo by Author]

The summit of the hill was originally occupied by a set of plazas and pyramids, now entirely reduced to rubble. These structures all seemingly date to the Post-classic period and would have been still in use at the time of the Spanish conquest. 

The near flat summit of the Acatzingo hill, showing remnants of low stone platforms, mounds and retaining walls, now much destroyed and largely overgrown. [Photo by Author]

Acatzingo is a fascinating site that contains what appear to be the remnants of two different styles and possibly also different epochs of construction: One megalithic, characterized by the use of massive cyclopean stones and carved rock surfaces; the other characterized by the use of much smaller stones employed for the construction of ceremonial platforms, habitational terraces and retaining walls. 

References:

[1] Beatriz Zuñiga Barcenas, "Registro y delimitación del sitio arqueológico del cerro de La Malinche, Acatzingo de la Piedra, Tenancingo, Estado de México", Arqueología, 45, 2010, pp. 212-233.

[2] Roberto Vázquez, "Rescate de la Historia: Exploración del Sitio Arqueologico de La Malinche", Criterio Noticias, June 25, 2019. On-line resource:  "https://criterionoticias.wordpress.com/2019/06/25/rescate-de-la-historia-exploracion-del-sitio-arqueologico-la-malinche/. Las accessed March 9, 2021.

[3] Julio César Ortega Velzaquez, Descripción arquitectonica del sitio La Malinche, en el Posclásico Tardío, Tenancingo, Estado de México, UAEM Tenancingo, 2013. On-line resource: http://ri.uaemex.mx/bitstream/handle/20.500.11799/40544/TESIS.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y. Last accessed March 9, 2021.

[4] Vladimira Palma Linares, "Arqueología en el sitio La Malinche", Revista Universitaria, UAEM, Vol. 2, no. 15, 2019, pp. 22-23. On-line: https://revistauniversitaria.uaemex.mx/article/view/12783/10015. Last accessed March 9, 2021. 

Join us on our next Expeditions

An Update on Upcoming Expeditions

The objective of this post is to share more details on some of our upcoming expeditions that may help unravel the mystery of the origins of the great and still largely unknown megalithic civilization of the Central Mexican highlands. Many of these locations are of difficult access, in remote or impervious terrain. We need motivated people to help us conduct these expeditions on the ground and document these ancient sites (with photos, videos and aerial images) – many of which have not been published before.  

Anyone interested should contact me in private at the address: unchartedruinsblog@gmail.com

Here is an initial list of sites for investigation, with some preliminary information on their significance to our quest for the lost megalithic civilization.    

1) Exploration of the Sierra de Huautla, Morelos

The construction of the walls of Chimalacatlan in an old postcard drawing [Courtesy: Mexicoenfotos.com]

We believe that the center of the megalithic civilization of ancient Mexico must be located somewhere in the still unexplored reaches of the Sierra de Huautla, a mountainous and heavily forested area to the South of the State of Morelos. This is where ancient legends located Tamoanchan, the fabulous “place of origin” of all Mesoamerican civilization – a city founded by the Gods themselves. 

In February of 2015 we explored the mysterious ruins of Chimalacatlan in the Sierra de Huautla (Link here). This is a unique megalithic site consisting of immense stone walls and platforms occupying the summit of a hill. For its cyclopean style of construction, Chimalacatlan has been compared to some of the finest megalithic constructions of Peru, and is of a type entirely unknown in Mesoamerica. The age of these ruins is unknown, but early investigators of the site conservatively situated their origin in the 1st or 2nd millennium B.C. More reports have since surfaced on the existence of more extensive structures in the mountains near the modern day town of Huaxtla. These structures have been described as clearly megalithic or cyclopean, consisting of large stone blocks measuring as much as 2 meters in length. Several pyramids, plazas and large stone walls have been reported on the site, compatible with the presence of a large city.  

The goal of the expedition will be to document and map these ruins, collect evidence for the existence of additional unexplored sites in the Sierra de Huautla and investigate their architectural analogies with other megalithic/ cyclopean structures in Mexico, Peru and elsewhere.    

Additional information from the Mexican National Institute of History and Anthropology (INAH) - Link here

2) The Lost Pyramid of Teopantepec and the “City of the Gods” on the Cerro Colorado

An illustration of the pyramid of Teopantepec, as it stood in 1807 [Dupaix, Antiquités Mexicaines, p.4, Plate 3]

In a previous article (Link here), we identified the Cerro Colorado overlooking the modern day town of Tehuacan, Puebla, as the most likely location of an ancient pyramid known from early 18th and 19th Century documents as Teopantepec (“House of God on the Mountain”). It is possible that the original structure collapsed some time after these early reports were composed, but some remains of its megalithic stone facing may still be found on the Cerro Colorado. Local traditions mention a “City of the Gods” or a “Ciudad Perdida (Lost City)” on the nearly inaccessible summit of the mountain. On the site of this supposed lost city, satellite pictures show a vast rectangular enclosure with what appear to be the remains of an ancient pyramid in the middle. 

The expedition will start from the nearby archaeological site of Tehuacan Viejo, from which a trail leads to the summit of the Cerro Colorado. It can probably be completed as a day-trip from Puebla.   

3) Acatzingo de la Piedra – A monolithic pyramid and cyclopean walls 

A short distance from the town of Malinalco (subject of another article – here), lies the town of Tenancingo and the site of Acatzingo de la Piedra. A monolithic stone pyramid has been recently found on the mountain known locally as the “Cerro de la Malinche”. The pyramid is known as the “Cama de Moctezuma”, and a number of pictures and videos of it exist over the internet. Other pictures show what appear to be portions of megalithic/ cyclopean walls partly covered by forest. 

We will use a drone to map any structures that might exist closer to the summit of the hill, as well as any visible megalithic remains. This expedition can also be completed as a day-trip from Malinalco or Mexico City.   

Additional information from the Mexican National Institute of History and Anthropology (INAH) - Link here. 

4) Mexico’s Marcahuasi – The Sacred Valley of Tepoztlán

A satellite view of the Valley of Tepoztlan, with the Popocatepetl volcano in the background [Courtesy Google Earth]

Unbeknown to many, the famous Peruvian explorer Daniel Ruzo, who first documented and publicized the mysterious rock sculptures on the plateau of Marcahuasi, spent the last years of his life in Mexico in what he called the “Sacred Valley of Tepoztlán”. There, he believed that rock sculptures even larger and older than those of Marcahuasi existed in the mountains surrounding the town of Tepoztlán. He documented hundreds of colossal rock sculptures, forming what he called a “hidden blueprint” or a map pointing to the location of a legendary “Hall of Records”. Since the publication of his book “El Valle Sagrado de Tepoztlán”, the valley has however failed to attract a similar interest to its Peruvian counterpart. 

   

The town of Tepoztlán, with its stunning landscapes and the enigmatic pyramid of Tepozteco, attracts thousands of tourists every year. Only very few of them, however, are aware of the research of Daniel Ruzo. The goal of our expedition will be to document many of the rock sculptures first described and photographed by Ruzo in his book, identifying signs or marks that could point to their artificial rather than natural origin. Because of the easy accessibility of Tepoztlán from Cuernavaca and Mexico City, this can also be completed through a number of day-trips from Mexico City. We will also use a drone to document the rock sculptures from the air and identify any other features not detectable from the ground. 

5) The Mysterious Rock of Apoala

The great 19th Century ethnologist and explorer Hubert H. Bancroft collected the following tradition of the “Flying Gods” of the Mixteca. After a great deluge, two gods appeared to repopulate the Earth: “They made a very sumptuous palace – a masterpiece of skill – in which they made their abode upon Earth…on the highest part of this building was an axe of copper, the edge being uppermost, and on this axe the heavens rested […] This rock and the palace of the Gods were on a mountain in the neighborhood of the town of Apoala in the province of Mixteca Alta. The rock was called ‘The Place of Heaven´, there the Gods first abode on Earth.”  [Hubert Howe Bancroft, The Native Races, Vol. IV] 

Such a rock does indeed exist in the vicinity of the modern day town of Santiago Apoala. Several deep caves associated with the legend exist in the gorges of Apoala, and a number of very curious petroglyphs and Olmec rock-reliefs (one in particular, known as the “Danzante”) are said to exist near the summit of the rock of Apoala. 

We will be looking for remains of ancient structures on or near the summit of the rock of Apoala, which may offer evidence for the existence of a “Palace of the Gods”. We will also investigate traditions of a labyrinth of ancient tunnels in a cave known locally as the “Cueva del Diablo (The Devil’s lair)”.  

Additional information and pictures can be found here.

6) An ancient obelisk and carved reliefs in Axutla, Puebla

A satellite view of the Rock of Huehuepiaxtla (Axutla, PUE), along the Rio Atoyaque [Courtesy Google Earth]

Also in the region of the Mixteca Alta, the village of Huehuepiaxtla (Axutla, PUE) is home to a colossal rocky outcrop known locally as “La Gran Peña (the great rock)”. A number of pictures have been circulating on the internet of ancient carved reliefs and stelae found in the vicinity of the mountain, containing unusual depictions of supernatural beings which were believed to inhabit its summit. It is also said that ancient structures, including a large “stone obelisk” may exist on the summit – although no documentation of these puzzling remains could be found.  

The expedition can probably be conducted as a day-trip from Puebla, with the objective of documenting many of these curious finds and confirm the existence of ancient megalithic structures near the summit of the Rock of Huehuepiaxtla.  

Additional information and pictures can be found here.

7) A journey into the Underworld of Teotihuacan

A large chamber in one of the caves that form the ancient Underworld of Teotihuacan, located a short distance to the East of the Pyramid of the Sun [Photo by Author]

There are reportedly miles of ancient tunnels and interconnected cave systems under the ancient pyramid-city of Teotihuacan. We confirmed the existence of the tunnels and explored a small portion of this labyrinthine network to the East of the pyramid of the Sun in February of 2017 (Link here). Additional tunnel entrances are reported to exist near the palatial complex of Oztoyahualco, near Acolman, on the Cerro Gordo and in the Sierra de Patlacique to the south of the ancient city (these latter apparently carved in a very hard andesite). 

Some of the tunnels are rumored to extend for many miles. Early archaeological reports speak of labyrinthine tunnels leading to vast hollowed chambers and pillared halls deep under the earth, which may have an association with the legendary Chicomoztoc, the “Place of the seven caves” considered to be the ancestral homeland from which emerged the ancestors of the Aztec tribes. 

This expedition is likely to require proper speleological equipment for the exploration of the underground passages. 

8) The mysterious subterraneans of Xochicalco

A portion of an ancient tunnel under the acropolis of Xochicalco [Photo by Author]

A number of ancient tunnels extend under the acropolis of Xochicalco, and there are also rumors of underground chambers and labyrinthine passageways running for many miles all around. Only a small portion of the tunnel system is presently open to the public (near the so-called solar observatory or “Cueva del Sol”). Other entrances can be found on the flanks of the acropolis, which lead to collapsed portions of the tunnel system (some of which we explored in April of 2017) – the tunnels are apparently very regular and are dug through a hard local kind of limestone. During the same trip we also documented large stretches of what appear to be polygonal/ cyclopean walls forming the substructure of the acropolis. The nearby Cerro de la Bodega is also said to contain a number of tunnel entrances.   

This expedition is also likely to require proper speleological equipment for the exploration of the underground passages. 

Link to a previous article on Xochicalco here

9) The Aztec sanctuary on Mount Tlaloc

A 3D reconstruction of the Aztec sanctuary on Mount Tlaloc and the "Ghost Mountain" optical illusion [Courtesy: masdemx.com]

The chief sanctuary of Tlaloc – the Aztec god of rain, was located on the mountain that bears the same name in the vicinity of Mexico City. The sanctuary on the summit, at an altitude of nearly 4,100 meters above sea level, is considered to be among the highest archaeological ruins in the world, and contains a number of significant astronomical alignments, including a long processional ramp and a ruined pyramid-observatory.

A curious optical phenomenon takes place on the summit of Mount Tlaloc during the month of February. Known as the “ghost mountain” (La Montaña fantasma), the phenomenon consists in an apparent optical mirage of a non-existing mountain in front of the peak of Mount Tlaloc.  

The hike to the summit of Mount Tlaloc does not require any special technical equipment, but one night of camping on the mountain is required.  

Additional information and pictures can be found here. 

10) The search for the Cross of Xaagá 

In a previous article (Link here), we described a mysterious megalithic tomb somewhere in the vicinity of Mitla. The tomb is in the shape of a cross and consists of several immense megalithic stone blocks measuring as much as 6-7 meters long. Several black and white pictures of the alleged tomb exist, dating from the early 1900’s, but its exact location has apparently been lost. If found, the tomb would be one of the largest megalithic structures in the entire American continent. The area is also characterized by the presence of rock art and cave paintings dating back thousands of years. 

One of the few existing pictures of the large cruciform tomb at Guiaroo, dating to the time of the 1902 excavations. Each one of the immense monolithic stone blocks employed in the construction measured over 6 meters long with an estimated weight of nearly 50 tons. The location of this remarkable megalithic structure has apparently been lost. [Photo Saville, 1902]

Another view of the same structure after partial excavation, taken at an angle. [Photo Saville, 1902]

An expert guide will be required for this trek, which can probably be done on horse or mule as a day trip from Oaxaca.  

The Megalithic Ruins of Ancient Mexico - Part II

The mysterious rock and tunnels of Tezcotzingo

The so called "Bath of the King" near the summit of the artificially terraced hill of Tezcotzingo. The perfectly circular basin, cut in the hard porphyry rock, is a testament to the great skill and technical advancement of its builders, who supposedly did not possess even the crudest metal tools. [Photo by Author] 

 In search of a lost City

               Walking around the streets of the little town of Texcoco, very little suggests this was once one of the greatest cities of ancient America, capital of a dynasty of kings at least as old as the Aztecs.

Texcoco, the “Athens of America”, fell into inevitable decline soon after the Spanish conquest, and its fate was sealed with the drying up of the lake of Texcoco, which once bordered the city and extended over much of what is nowadays the valley of Mexico. The great Tenochtitlan itself, capital of the mighty Aztec empire, was but an island in the middle of this now largely vanished lake.

Still in the first half of the XIX century, travelers could admire the ruins of Texcoco on the now dry lake shore. Bullock (1824) saw there, among other things, the ruins of a large aqueduct, which was still in use at the time of his visit, as well as “several stone buildings of great strength” and the foundations of countless more ancient buildings “many of considerable size” [1]. Several unbaked brick pyramids could be seen all over the plain, including the fabled Templo Mayor of Texcoco, once as large as the Templo Mayor of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Among all ruins that were shown to him, Bullock was deeply moved by the palace of the kings of Texcoco, a building “far surpassing any ideas I had formed of the architectural abilities of the aboriginal Americans. [1]”. This palace occupied one entire side of the great square, over a length of 300 feet, and was placed on sloping terraces raised one upon the other. It was composed “of huge blocks of basaltic stone, about four or five feet long, and two and a half or three feet thick, cut and polished with the utmost exactness. [1]”

Sadly, after a little less than 200 years of pillaging and quarrying, nothing remains of the great structures that Bullock could still see, all vanished under the modern town of Texcoco and sacrificed to the expansion of nearby Mexico City.

Bullock was also shown a very curious set of ruins, located on a mountain a short distance from the ancient city of Texcoco, and was probably the first person to provide a full descriptions of the ruins of Tezcotzingo (or Texcotzingo – meaning the “little Texcoco”). The very unusual character of these ruins led Bullock to the conclusion that they must have been “erected by a people whose history was lost even before the building of the city of Mexico. [1]”

It is now believed that Tetzcotzingo served as a royal residence of the Aztec emperors, originally built and embellished by the rulers of the city of Texcoco, and particularly by its most famous king, the poet and philosopher Nezahualcoyotl (1402-1472 AD). This residence, which was much admired by the Spanish conquistadors and historians before its destruction, was a veritable garden of delights. The entire mountain, an oddly pyramid-shaped natural outcrop, was artificially shaped and terraced to host a number of constructions, palaces and temples meant to serve as a symbolic representation of the cosmic mountain. 

The near-perfect pyramid shape of the hill of Tezcotzingo, in the distance, would have made it an ideal "cosmic mountain". The stone-cut channel in the foreground is part of the ancient aqueduct that once fed the gardens on the hill. [Photo by Author]

     

The monolithic temples

               The Aztec and Acolhua period constructions on the hill of Tetzcotzingo are now mostly ruinous and appear rather unremarkable. Yet, on the same artificially shaped hill one also finds the remains of puzzling trenches, stairways and chambers cut in the hard porphyry rock in a style quite unique in the Mesoamerican world – the only parallel being found in the monolithic temples of Malinalco, also in central Mexico.

A long aqueduct, over 8 Km long and partially dug into the bedrock, brought water to the site, feeding a number of pools and basins along the terraced slopes of the hill. The most remarkable of these pools is presently known by its popular name of “Bath of Nezahualcoyotl”. It is a perfectly circular pool, measuring 1.5 meters in diameter, with a depth of about 1.2 meters, cut out of the living porphyry rock. The pool is accessed by means of three steps that descend into the basin, and is surrounded by an ornate stepped parapet with a throne or chair carved in it. All around the basin, the rock had been cut into deep trenches, as large as to allow the passage of a man. Several similarly rock-cut stairways also departed from this spot in different directions towards the base of the hill, all carved with the utmost precision and exactness.   

Other two almost identical basins, regrettably much more ruined, are found a few hundred meters from this one, and are popularly known as the “Bath of the Queen” and the “Bath of the Concubines”. The “Bath of the Queen” retains visible part of the original aqueduct that fed it, along with three sculptures of frogs facing the pool from different directions.  

As it is often the case with such enigmatic ruins, the site lies today in a state of abandonment and has fallen prey to vandalism and graffiti of all sorts. Many of the rock-cut stairways and trenches are overgrown with vegetation, and it is possible that more structures lie buried towards the summit and around the base of the hill.

On one side of the hill the remains of a rock-cut temple with fragments of sculptures are found, while a vast square chamber was cut on the flank facing the aqueduct.

What is striking about these ruins is the very deep erosion to which they seem to have been subject, which appears only compatible with a very great antiquity – certainly more than the mere 500 years attributed by archaeologists. This is even more surprising if one considers the much better degree of preservation of the other Aztec period ruins on the hill, which, although built with much poorer materials, retain at places the original stucco facing.

All this seems to suggest that these ruins might belong to a much earlier period than that of the Aztecs and Acolhua, and were only incorporated in what was meant to be a symbolic representation of the cosmic mountain in the shape of a giant pyramid-shaped hill.

A view of the monolithic shrine known as "Bath of Nezahalcoyotl" or "Bath of the King". It consists of a perfectly circular basin approached by steps and a set of rock-cut trenches and stairways of uncertain function. [Photo by Author]

One of the great rock-cut chambers in the sides of the hill. This one was located at one extremity of the great aqueduct and contains a now much defaced throne. [Photo by Author]

A view of the extremely accurate stonework of one of the monolithic stairways approaching the "Bath of the King" Everything has been carved in the hard porphyry stone of the hill, allegedly without the aid of anything but the most primitive stone tools. [Photo by Author] 

From this other photograph, it is possible to appreciate the wonderful workmanship of the "Bath of the King". The basin is perfectly circular and bears signs on its outer surface of having been dug or polished with some kind of rotating tool that left clear grooves on the rock face. The stepped symbol present in the balustrade also finds analogies with the "Andean Cross" stepped motif found at many Peruvian megalithic sites. [Photo by Author] 

Mysterious tunnels

               Another mysterious feature of the place is the presence of extensive ancient tunnels, whose accesses (now mostly blocked) are found at different places on the hill. The entrances to these tunnels had been already noticed by Bullock, who mentioned in his writings that the entire mountain was “perforated by artificial excavations”, mentioning one particular tunnel near the top, approached by a flight of rock-cut steps, which his own guide had entered “but which no one as yet had had the courage to explore, although it was believed that immense riches were buried in it.”[1]

The entrance to one of the tunnels found near the summit of the hill. This one continues for just a few meters before encountering a blockage and can hardly be the one described by Bullock in 1824. One can also see other rock-cut benches and carvings on both sides of the walls. [Photo by Author]

One of many rock-cut model of stairways and aqueducts that were probably used by the ancient builders for designing the complex system of gardens and communicating pools. [Photo by Author]

Nowadays, the entrance to at least three such tunnels can still be discerned at various points on the hill, although none matching the description provided by Bullock. The only tunnel entrance visible near the summit is in fact a small artificial cave, which does not extend more than a few meters and could hardly have been the responsible for the legends of labyrinthine tunnels reported by Bullock and other authors. Another tunnel entrance is found under a rocky outcrop below the monolithic rock-cut basin known as the “Bath of Nezahualcoyotl” or “Bath of the King”, but is presently locked with a metal gate. The longest tunnel that can still be explored for a certain length is found a short way from the base of the hill. It is entirely carved in the rock and slopes downwards for about 20 or 30 meters before meeting a blockage. While it is possible to see the tunnel continuing for some length after the blockage, it is impossible to proceed without proper equipment.

All these enigmatic features greatly contribute to the aura of mystery still surrounding the hill of Tezcotzingo and bear a striking resemblance to other similar sites throughout the ancient world, from the mysterious “City of Midas” in ancient Turkey to the enigmatic rock-cut shrines and subterraneans of the Peruvian Andes.

Seen from above, the system of rock-cut trenches, stairways and pools carved in the flanks of the hill of Tezcotzingo bears a striking resemblance to other enigmatic megalithic sites, like the famous Fuerte of Samaipata, in Bolivia. [Photo by Author]

Another aerial view of the area known as the "Bath of the King". The entrance to another tunnel is visible in the cliff face in the center of the picture. This one in particular appears to be closed with a metal gate. [Photo by Author]

References:

[1] W. Bullock, Six Months Residence and Travels in Mexico, London, 1824, pp. 283-394

[2] Francisco Arturo Schroeder Cordero, La arquitectura monolítca en Tetzcotzingo y en Malinalco, Estado de México Cuadernos de Arquitectura Mesoamericana, n. 4, UNAM, July 1985, pp. 66-91

[3] M. Dominguez Nuñez, Arqueología y astronomía del antiguo Tetzcotzingo, UNAM, 2007, accessed online: https://www.academia.edu/7975869/ARQUEOLOGÍA_Y_ASTRONOMÍA_DEL_ANTIGUO_TETZCOTZINCO_ESTADO_DE_MÉXICO

[4] Wikipedia entry on Texcotzingo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texcotzingo