Mexico

Tenayuca

Postclassic Chichimec temple complex, Valley of Mexico

Location

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Historical Context

About

Tenayuca (Nahuatl languages: Tenanyohcān pronounced [te.naˈyoʔ.kaːn]) is a pre-Columbian Mesoamerican archaeological site in the Valley of Mexico. In the Postclassic period of Mesoamerican chronology, Tenayuca was a settlement on the former shoreline of the western arm of Lake Texcoco. It was located approximately 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) to the northwest of Tenochtitlan (the heart of present-day Mexico City). Tenayuca is considered to be the earliest capital city of the Chichimec, nomadic tribes who migrated and settled in the Valley of Mexico, where they formed their own empire.

Paleolithic
Mesolithic
Neolithic
Chalcolithic
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Classical Period
Post-Classical Period
Early Modern Period
Industrial Period
Contemporary Period
Temporal Epochs

Historical Timeline

Journey through time and discover key events in this site's history

Late 13th-century regional alliance

late 13th century

Founding attributed to Xolotl

c. 1224

First major enlargement of the pyramid

1299

Mid-14th-century shift in regional power

mid 14th century

Third construction stage (Aztec influence appears)

1351

Incorporation into the Aztec Empire

c. 1434

Final documented construction phase

1507

Fighting during the Spanish Conquest

1520

Modern archaeological rediscovery

1925

Classification

Archaeological Features

Unique architectural and cultural elements found at this historical site

category

Burial and Funerary Structures

Pyramids
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Religious and Ritual Structures

TemplesAltarsCeremonial Platforms
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Artistic and Decorative Features

StatuesReliefsInscriptions
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Domestic and Habitation Structures

HousesTownsCities
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Astronomical and Timekeeping Structures

Calendar Stones
Knowledge Base

Frequently Asked Questions

Reference

Details

Country

Mexico

Coordinates

19.53° N, -99.17° E