List of Mesoamerican pyramids

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This is a list of Mesoamerican pyramids or ceremonial structures. In most cases they are not true pyramids. There are hundreds of these in many different styles throughout Mexico and Central America. These were made by several pre-Columbian cultures including the Olmecs, [1] Maya, [2] Toltecs, [3] and Aztecs. [4] In most cases they were made by city states that created many structures in the same style. The style for each city state is usually different. These are usually made out of stone and mortar but some of the earliest may have been made out of clay.

SiteName of pyramidCultureBase length (m)Height (m)Incli- nationApproximate time of constructionFunctionNotesImage
Altun Ha

Belize

Maya 16200 to 900 CE Altun Ha Belize.jpg
Cañada de la Virgen

Mexico

Pirámide Chichimeca de los 7 Cielos Otomi 15+540 to 1040 CEThe Pyramids and surrounding complex were built to house priests, along with serving as a burial ground.These are the only Otomi pyramids we currently know of. Canada de La Virgen Complex A 01.jpg
Caracol

Belize

Caana Maya 43A triadic pyramid, Caana is the highest man-made structure in Belize Caracol-Temple.jpg
Caracol

Belize

Temple of the Wooden Lintel Maya
Lamanai

Belize

High Temple Maya 33 Pre-Classic Period Lamanai - High Temple.JPG
Lamanai

Belize

Jaguar Temple Maya 20 Pre-Classic Period Lamanai - Jaguar Temple.JPG
Lamanai

Belize

Mask Temple Maya 17 Early Classic Period Mask Temple Lamanai 02.JPG
Lubaantun

Belize

Maya 730 to 890 CELubaantun's structures are mostly built of large stone blocks with no mortar, using primarily black slate rather than limestone. Lubaantun 04.jpg
Tula

Mexico

Pyramid B Toltec The pyramid is dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, and topped with Atlantean columns, carved like warriors.
Lubaantun

Belize

Maya 730 to 890 CELubaantun includes many small step pyramids in addition to its far larger one. Flickr - archer10 (Dennis) - Belize-0833.jpg
Nim Li Punit

Belize

Building Maya 12400 to 800 CENim Li Punit has several small-step pyramids, but none that possessed the sheer mass of other examples. Flickr - archer10 (Dennis) - Belize-0869.jpg
Xunantunich

Belize

El Castillo Maya 40600 to 900 CE Xunantunich Belize 1 19.jpg
San Andrés

El Salvador

the Bell of San Andrés Maya 600 to 900 CEThis is a scale model of structure 5. There are several other smaller structures that may be similar to pyramids on the site. ES San Andres 05 2012 Estructura 5 La Campana 1538.JPG
Tazumal

El Salvador

Maya 250 to 900 CE Ruinas del Tazumal.JPG
Aguateca

Guatemala

Maya 6760 to 830 CEThis temple pyramid was left unfinished when the city was abandoned. Its purpose is still unknown. Aguateca-plaza.jpg
Dos Pilas

Guatemala

LD-49 Maya 20after 629 CEThis pyramid's main stairway (known as Hieroglyphic Stairway 2) contains at least eighteen hieroglyphic steps. However, some glyphs are undecipherable due to age.
Dos Pilas

Guatemala

Maya after 629 CEThis temple pyramid was built by enlarging and terracing a natural hill some way from the site core, giving the impression of a single massive structure.
Kaminaljuyu

Guatemala

Maya 250 CEKaminaljuyu contains some 200 platforms and pyramidal mounds, at least half of which were made before 250 CE. Some were used to hold temples. Kaminaljuyu, Guatemala..JPG
El Mirador

Guatemala

La Danta Maya 72300 BCE to 100 CELa Danta pyramid temple has an estimated volume of 2,800,000 cubic meters, making it one of the largest pyramids in the world.
El Mirador

Guatemala

El Tigre Maya 55300 BCE to 100 CE Flickr - ggallice - Cara, El Mirador.jpg
El Puente

Honduras

Structure 1 Maya 12600 BCE- 900 CEReligious temple
Mixco Viejo

Guatemala

Maya 1100 to 1500 CE Mixco Viejo.jpg
Tikal

Guatemala

Temple I Maya 47 Grand Plaza - Temple I (3266805223).jpg
Copán

Honduras

Maya Copán has several overlapping step-pyramids. Stela M and the Hieroglyphic Stairway on the archeological site of Copan, a mayan city.jpg
Becán

Mexico

Structure IX Maya 42 Becan - Structure IX.jpg
Bonampak

Mexico

The Temple of the Murals Maya 580 to 800 CE Zona arqueologica Bonampak 01 ID ZA30 DBannasch.jpg
Calakmul

Mexico

Structure I Maya 40 In Calakmul, Mexico (8726963632).jpg
Calakmul

Mexico

The Great Pyramid - Structure II Maya 55593 CE In Calakmul, Mexico (8726977166).jpg
Chacchoben

Mexico

Temple 1 Maya 20 Zona arqueologica Chacchoben (Bacalar, QuintanaRoo, Mexico) - 01.jpg
Chichen Itza

Mexico

El Castillo (Temple of Kukulcan) Maya 55.330 Chichen Itza 3.jpg
Cholula

Mexico

The Great Pyramid of Cholula 450 sq.66300 BCE - 800 CEThe largest pyramid and the largest manmade monument anywhere in the Americas. Gran Piramide de Cholula, Puebla, Mexico, 2013-10-12, DD 10.JPG
Coba

Mexico

Nohoch Mul Maya 42500 to 900 CE Pyramid of Coba, (QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO).png
Coba

Mexico

La Iglesia Maya 20500 to 900 CE Pyramide du Grupo Coba dite l'eglise (8452064401).jpg
Coba

Mexico

Crossroads Temple Maya 500 to 900 CE Coba - panoramio (1).jpg
Comalcalco

Mexico

Temple 1 Maya 20600 CE to 900 CEThe city's buildings were made from fired-clay bricks with mortar made from oyster shells, unique among Maya sites. Many are decorated with iconography and/or hieroglyphs. Comalcalco Templo 1.JPG
Dzibanche

Mexico

Temple of the Owl Maya Dzibanche, Building 1, Temple of the Owl (14364450242).jpg
El Cerrito

Mexico

Pyramid of El Cerrito Chichimec 30 Piramide pueblito.jpg
El Tajín

Mexico

Pyramid of the Niches Classic Veracruz 18 El Tajin Pyramid of the Niches.jpg
Guachimontones

Mexico

Circle 2

(La Iguana)

Teuchitlán 10Characterized by the unusual circular pyramid structure, a unique architectural form in Mesoamerica. Guachimontones Jalisco - Esteban Tucci.jpg
Ichkabal

Mexico

Structure E4 Maya 46 ICHKABAL QUINTANA ROO.png
Izamal

Mexico

Kinich Kakmó Pyramid Maya 34400 to 600 CE Kinich Kakmo.jpg
La Venta

Mexico

The Great Pyramid Olmec 33394 ± 30 BCEThis is one of the earliest pyramids known in Mesoamerica. It was made out of an estimated 100,000 cubic meters of earth fill. La Venta Piramide cara norte.jpg
Mayapan

Mexico

Maya 15 Mayapan perspectiva 1.jpg
Moral-Reforma

Mexico

Conjunto 14 Maya 37 LaReforma1.JPG
Palenque

Mexico

Temple of the Cross Maya El Templo de la Cruz.jpg
Palenque

Mexico

Temple of the Inscriptions Maya 22.8>675Bore the Classic Maya name B'olon Yej Te' Naah "House of the Nine Sharpened Spears". Tumba de pakal, Chiapas.JPG
Palenque

Mexico

Temple of the Sun Maya 19 Palenque - Las Cruces - Templo del Sol.JPG
Santa Cecilia Acatitlan

Mexico

Aztec 17 by 278In 1962, the architect and archaeologist Eduardo Pareyon Moreno reconstructed the pyramid's basement and the temple that crowns it. StaCeciliaAcatitlan.jpg
Tenayuca

Mexico

Aztec 62 by 50This is the earliest example yet found of the typical Aztec double pyramid, which consists of joined pyramidal bases supporting two temples. Tenayuca.jpg
Tenochtitlan

Mexico

Templo Mayor Aztec 100 by 80601390 to 1500 CE Tenochtitlan was destroyed by the Spanish. Recreations of this and other pyramids are based on historical text and archaeological ruins. ScaleModelTemploMayor.JPG
Tenochtitlan

Mexico

Aztec 1325 to 1521 CE Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital city, was completely razed by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés. Recreations the city are based on historical text and archaeological ruins. This site once included at least half a dozen pyramids. TenochtitlanModel.JPG
Teotihuacan

Mexico

Pyramid of the Sun Teotihuacano 223.571.232.5100 BCEThere are also dozens of platforms 4 stories high lining the Avenue of the Dead at Teotihuacan. Each step in each story creates a stairway to the top in front of the platforms. Piramide del Sol 072006.JPG
Teotihuacan

Mexico

Pyramid of the Moon Teotihuacano 43100 BCE Pyramid of the Moon, Teotihuacan - Flickr - GregTheBusker (1).jpg
Teotihuacan

Mexico

Temple of the Feathered Serpent Teotihuacano ASb150-Teotihuacan-Templo Del Quetzalcoatl.jpg
El Tepozteco

Mexico

Aztec 1502 CE Piramidedeltepozteco.jpg
Tula

Mexico

Toltec TulaSite115.JPG
Uxmal

Mexico

Pyramid of the Magician Maya 40 Pyramid Of The Magician (221839507).jpeg
Uxmal

Mexico

La Gran Piramide Maya 30 La Gran Pyramide.jpg
Xochicalco

Mexico

Temple of the Feather Serpent200 BCE to 900 CE Xochicalcotempleofinscriptions.jpg
Xochicalco

Mexico

200 BCE to 900 CEThis is one of several other step-pyramid temples in addition to the Temple of the Feather Serpent Mexico xochicalco pyramids.JPG
Xochitecatl

Mexico

The Pyramid of Flowers100 by 140the Preclassic Period Paisaje piramide.JPG
Xochitecatl

Mexico

The Spiral Building700 BCEThis is a circular stepped pyramid. The interior consists of volcanic ash. The building has no stairway to the top, it was climbed by following the spiral form of the building itself.
Yaxchilan

Mexico

Maya 600 to 900 CEThis is one of the pyramids on the upper terrace of Yaxchilan Foto en la Zona Arqueologica de Yaxchilan 01.jpg
Yarumela

Honduras

Estructure 101 Lenca 201000 BCE to 250 CEReligious temple used for different ceremonies
Estructura 101 de Yarumela.jpg
Tikal

Guatemala

Tikal Temple IV Maya 88 by 6564.6741 ADThe pyramid was built to mark the reign of the 27th king of the Tikal dynastyTemple IV at the Classic Period Maya ruins of Tikal, 8th century AD, Peten Department, Guatemala. Templo IV - panoramio.jpg
Tikal

Guatemala

Tikal Temple V Maya 51 by 3657 [5] 700 ADSecond tallest in Tikal after Temple IV, tallest completely unearthed.
Tikal Temple V - Guatemala.jpg
Toniná

Mexico

Great Pyramid of Toniná Maya 75200 to 900 CEThe Great Pyramid of Toniná is the tallest Maya and Mesoamerican pyramid and also the tallest Pre Columbian building in the Americas. Tonina (150).jpg
Tzintzuntzan

Mexico

5 yácata pyramids Purépecha Late post-classic periodThe pyramids are rounded and have a distinguishable T-like shape. 4thYacatatztztz.JPG

References

  1. Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition. EBSCO: Columbia University Press. 2020. ISBN   978-0-7876-5015-5. OCLC   1149280662.
  2. Williams, Victoria (2020). Indigenous peoples : an encyclopedia of culture, history, and threats to survival. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 722. ISBN   9781440861185.
  3. Coe, Michael, D (2013). Mexico: From the Olmecs to the Aztecs. New York, New York: Thames and Hudson. pp. 170–176. ISBN   978-0-500-29076-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. "The Aztecs / Mexicas". indians.org. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
  5. "Tikal Temples | Tikal National Park". 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2025-01-27.