El Tajin
A Classic Veracruz site (600-1000 AD), the El Tajin is nestled between the Gulf of Mexico and the volcanoes of the Mexican interior. People of the Classic Veracruz culture inhabited the site at the pinnacle of its importance. The city was both center of the ball game and ritual activity in Mesoamerica.
Temple of the Niches is dedicated to the sun, has 365 niches, and aligns with the solar calendar; Gran Xicalcoliuhqui, comprised of outlying walls with 260 niches, represents the God of Wind and the ritual calendar.
El Tajin houses at least 17 ball courts. Artifacts of the game include stone implements called hachas, palmas and yokes; the first used as markers or trophies, and the two latter worn around the player’s waist. Weighing about twenty-five to thirty-five pounds, these implements likely did not hinder the player’s athleticism and were carved to manifest powers of animals the player wished to possess.
After competing in the ball game, certain players were sacrificed by decapitation and/or by cutting out the heart with an obsidian blade. This stella, showing the decapitation of a ball player, corresponds with rituals related to the harvest of corn; thus, demonstrating that rituals of life and death often go hand-in-hand in Mesoamerican culture.
Operated by INAH, El Tajin is open year round with guided tours in several languages. The on-site museum houses artifacts reflecting art, architecture, values, beliefs, the ball game, and human sacrifice. The nearest city, Papantla, is remote with limited infrastructure; travelers should consider nearby cities like Poza Rica and Nautla. To reach the site via car, allot 2.5 hours from Veracruz regional airport; a good state road map is vital. During the spring equinox, the modern Totonac people, descendant from prehistoric inhabitants, celebrate their heritage at the cultural festival Cumbre Tajin.
Researched and Written by Michael P. Doyle, Undergraduate Student in History, University of West Florida, LAH 3200 Spring 2012
