El Tajín: The Arrojo Group--page 1 (of seven pages)

100 C.E. (probably the earliest constructions at this site)



See map.

The southwest end of the site--an unexcavated ball court

Sources differ on the number of ball courts at this site, some saying no fewer than eleven and others saying seventeen. They agree, however, in the view that this culture seemed obsessed with the ball games. Reliefs on some of the ball courts depict ritual aspects of the games. (See later pages.)

The path from the parking lot leads into the Arroyo Group, which consists of a central area, probably a market, with pyramids on each of the four faces. All four of these buildings probably once had superstructures on the top In general the buildings are oriented on a north south axis. See map.
 

Building 19 (below) on the south end of the site

This multi-tiered building has stairways on all four sides although the stairs on the north and south appear to be wider.
 

Building 18 on the east side of the plaza--the stairway facing the plaza

These unique stairs have niches with projections at the top--like cornices, that march up the stairs.
 

Building 20

This building with distinct tiers is on the west side of the plaza with a stairway on the east side, facing the plaza.
 

Building 16 on the north side of the plaza

This building has five tiers with niches at each level. Rows of niches will be a constant motif at this site.
 


Continue to page 2.

Works consulted or quoted:
Andrew Coe. Archaeological Mexico. Emeryville, CA: Avalon Travel Publishing, 2001.
Michael D. Coe and Rex Koontz. Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. Fifth Edition. London: Thames & Hudson, 2002.
Mary Ellen Miller. The Art of Mesoamerica: From Olmec to Aztec. Third Edition. London: Thames and Hudson, 2001.


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© 2009 Mary Ann Sullivan. I have photographed (on site), scanned, and manipulated all the images on these pages. Please feel free to use them for personal or educational purposes. They are not available for commercial purposes.