July 24, 2008
After days of traveling, tiredness, and excitement, we went on our last excursion to Xochicalco, which means “in the place of the house of flowers.” Xochicalco is an ancient city on top of a mountain that used to be a central trading spot between the Aztecs and the Zapotec/Mixtecs groups.
The trip was a short, intense, and fast one. When we arrived, Estela gave us a brief historical introduction to the city before we entered the site. When we made it to the main entrance, many of us were taking the usual millions of pictures, Estela asked us to stop, gave us corn, and asked us to look at these ruins differently than we have the others we have visited. She asked that we think about not just playing and having fun, but to show respect for the sacred land and space; she asked that we give the corn as offerings to the land, which shows thanks for allowing us to be there. As everyone listened, it appeared that the dynamics of the visit seemed to change, and people were interested in what the land and symbols were about.
Some of the main pyramids at Xochicalco were the Pyramid of Feathered Serpent with such intricate designs; the Juegos la Pelota, which is a game that was played by the Aztecs that represented a cleansing ceremony and the winners of the game would be sacrificed; and the Observatory Cave, which had light from the sun that peaked through and at midday on June 21st that lights up the entire cave, and people from around the world come to observe it.
Xochicalco is an interesting ancient city for many reasons, but what is amazing is that it is still being discovered at the present time. Therefore, there are many questions that have not been answered, and they may never be accurately answered.
