in other cities, particularly those of the Maya, it is important
to remember that the city was also infl uenced by others.
Th e temple is dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, the feathered ser-
pent deity who remained vital to Mesoamerican spiritual life
through the time of the Aztecs. Th e Temple of the Feathered
Serpent features more decoration than the Pyramids of the
Sun and Moon. Its facade is ornamented by continuous scaly
reptile carving that wraps around all six levels and by large
protruding heads of various beasts. Th e temple commemorates
warfare, and evidence of human sacrifi ce—practiced widely in
Mesoamerica—has been found at the foot of the temple.
Other architectural remains have been found at Teoti-
huacán, and they have enabled archaeologists to create a rela-
tively complete portrait of the layout of the city. Teotihuacán
boasts residential complexes and large open plazas. Th e city
also has preserved murals, mostly containing religious or
moral content, that were painted on the horizontal facades.
Th e feathered serpent encircling the Pyramid of the Feath-
ered Serpent was painted as well.THE MAYA
Th e Mayan civilization of Mesoamerica is believed to have
begun around 500 b.c.e., though it is best known for its
Classic Period art and architecture of 250 to 650 c.e. In
the Preclassic Period the Maya were also active builders, as
settled community life requires buildings for domestic, cer-
emonial and civic activity. Among the buildings that char-
acterize Mayan architecture are pyramid temples, housing
complexes and plazas, as well as the ball court, which the
early Maya built with sloped sides. Overall, these structures
adapted to the variable landscape and were organized in a
less systematic way than other Mesoamerican cities, which
were based upon the grid system. For example, as Teoti-
huacán’s rational planning was similar to that of contem-Major architectural sites in ancient Mesoamerica include La Venta, Monte Albán, and Teotihuacán.84 architecture: The Americas