Image: Cempoala, Circle of Gladiators, Great Temple, and Temple of the Chimneys (20693479401)

Description: Cempoala, Circle of Gladiators, Great Temple, and Temple of the Chimneys Cempoala or Zempoala (Nahuatl for "Place of Twenty Waters") is an important Mesoamerican archaeological site located in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. The name perhaps originates from the fact that the city had a lot of aqueducts which provided the vital fluid to the numerous gardens and surrounding farmland fields and irrigation channels. According to some sources, the city was originally founded at least 1,500 years before the Spaniards arrival and there is evidence of Olmec influence. Although not much is known about the Preclassical and Classic Era, the Preclassical town was built on mounds to protect it from floods. Cempoala was the Totonac capital and was occupied by Totonacs, Chinantecas and Zapotec becoming the largest city in the Gulf. During its apogee, it had a population of between 25,000 and 30,000 people and was one of the most important Totonaca settlements during the post-classic period. (source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cempoala)
Title: Cempoala, Circle of Gladiators, Great Temple, and Temple of the Chimneys (20693479401)
Credit: Cempoala, Circle of Gladiators, Great Temple, and Temple of the Chimneys
Author: Arian Zwegers from Brussels, Belgium
Usage Terms: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
License: CC BY 2.0
License Link: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0
Attribution Required?: Yes