Tecoaque
aztec town
Tecoaque is a Mesoamerican archaeological site, located in western Tlaxcala state, central Mexico, close to Calpulalpan. The site was inhabited by the Acolhua, one of the three ethnic groups making up the Aztec Empire (their capital being Tetzcohco, one of the three seats of Aztec power). Tecoaque had many white-stucco temples and was the home to approximately 5,000 people, mostly priests and farmers.
Etymology
The name is a colonial transcription of the Nahuatl Tēcuahqueh, meaning both "they ate people" and "people eaters". It consists of tē-, the indefinite object prefix for people; cuah, the past / participle form of the verb cua (to eat), meaning "ate" / "eating"; and the plural suffix -queh.
Tecoaque replaced the earlier name of Zōltepēc, meaning "at quail mountain" (from zōlin, quail, and tepētl, mountain).
Site description
Tecoaque includes a prominent circular structure dedicated to Ehecatl. Parts of this primary three-tiered structure, which has an eastern facing stairway, were restored in 1992. Nearby archaeological features include residential structures and an important rectangular plaza.
World Heritage status
This site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on 6 December 2004 in the Cultural category.
The public source identifies “Tecoaque” as aztec town. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Tecoaque, aztec and town.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Tecoaque”, the useful work is to connect “aztec town” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Maps, plans, fabric surveys and administrative records can establish how the site’s name, extent and function changed over time. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 25, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q7692767. Authority coordinates are 19.585, -98.625. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1992 and 2004.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Tecoaque”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Tecoaque primary sources, Tecoaque archive and Tecoaque research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Tecoaque”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Tecoaque” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.