Who Built The Mysterious Huapalcalco Pyramid – Mexico’s Smallest Pyramid?

Ellen Lloyd - AncientPages.com - Standing in central Mexico, the mysterious Huapalcalco pyramid remains an unsolved ancient mystery. Not only is it Mexico’s smallest pyramid, but it’s also unknown who built the structure. The Huapalcalco pyramid has been dated to around 800 B.C.

Left: Ehecatl, the snake-bird deity, and god of wind. Credit: Public Domain. Right: Huapalcalco pyramid. Credit: Public Domain.

Huapalcalco is considered the oldest human occupation site in the Hidalgo State and it is the second Toltec Empire, before Tula. The region was once an important civil, religious and housing center.

Huapalcalco was part of the Teotihuacán state, but there is an indication this place was inhabited by an unknown ancient culture.

While excavating in the area, archaeologists came across architecture and artifacts that are not the same as those of Teotihuacán. It is believed that Teotihuacán, most probably the largest city in the New World, had about 150,000 – 200,000 inhabitants at its height, but the builder of the Huapalcalco pyramid did not originate from Teotihuacán.

The Huapalcalco pyramid and stairway do not correspond to the Toltec or Teotihuacan cultures of the same area and time period. The three-bodied pyramid consists of 12 meters base by 8 meters high and an altar that possibly was used for offerings  At the site, archaeologists found rough, cylindrical vessels that were gray and reddish-brown in color. This type of pottery is unknown to experts.

However, among the discovered artifacts there are figures depicted in a sitting position, with their hands placed on their knees. They have headdresses or conical hats with snakes at the base, which could represent Ehecatl, the snake-bird deity and god of wind, who was feared and respected by the Aztecs.

Scientists have suggested that the artifacts found near the Huapalcalco pyramid, could indicate this enigmatic ancient structure was built by people from a new culture who lived in this region. Unfortunately, it’s unknown who these people were and so is the purpose of the Huapalcalco pyramid.

Huapalcalco Pyramid. Credit: Public Domain

According to Thomas Charlton, an archaeologist at the University of Iowa, it’s reasonable to think that the site was occupied by an ancient culture that existed between the fall of the Teotihuacán and the beginning of the Tula (Toltec).

It’s not really surprising that the Huapalcalco pyramid was built by a group of ancient people we know nothing about. Michael Smith, an archaeologist at Arizona State University remarked it was a very creative period, with rich development and that it’s perfectly normal that an independent ancient culture could have emerged in this part of the world.

The Huapalcalco pyramid is small and far from as famous as other pyramids around the world, but it’s certainly not insignificant. If scientists could learn who its builders were, then it would be possible to fill a missing gap in the ancient history of Mexico.

Written by Ellen Lloyd – AncientPages.com

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