Top 10 Surprising Facts About Palacio De Los Jaguares

Image by Dennis Jarvis-Wikimedia

Top 10 Surprising Facts About Palacio De Los Jaguares

The Palacio De Los Jaguares is located in Central Mexico in the Tehotihuacan region. It is one part of the Quetzalpapalotl ruins complex, an archaeological site that houses surviving murals. It is thought that the structures were built around 250 AD to 300 AD.

The art contained in these ruins has led historians to believe that the complex must have been home to royals or high priests/priestesses who used them for rituals and sacrifices. The name Palacio De Los Jaguares can be translated to mean the Palace of the Jaguars and may have come about as a result of the many art drawings that depict jaguars on the walls.

Every year, these ruins, and most especially the Palacio De Los Jaguares attract thousands of visitors to the site which was rehabilitated between 2009 and 2011 by the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia.

1. The proximity of the Palacio De Los Jaguares to the Pyramid of the Moon suggests its importance

Pyramid of the moon. Image by Daniel Case-Wikimedia

The Pyramid of the Moon is estimated to have been built in 200 AD by the Teotihuacan people. It is believed to be a site where sacrifices were made to the Great Goddess of Teotihuacan, the god of fertility, water, earth, and creation itself. Skeletons of male humans, as well as animals, have been found at the site to suggest that sacrificial victims were also buried on the site.

This resulted in layers upon layers being added to the pyramid itself to accommodate more victims. The proximity of the Palacio De Los Jaguares to this site, therefore, suggests how important it was to the high priests and was the site where they conducted their rituals before the sacrifice was done.

2. The Palacio De Los Jaguares was not built by the Aztecs

The name of the palace along with all the other palaces in Teotihuacan comes from the Nahuatl language-the language of the Aztecs- and means ‘The City of Gods’. It is therefore easy to assume that the builders were the Aztecs which is false. The Teotihuacan was built between 100BC and 400AD, a period long before the Aztecs existed.

The Aztecs came upon the complex ruined city, were mesmerized by what they saw, and decided to live there and name the city. Nevertheless, the Aztecs were heavily influenced by the city and adopted most of their rituals, gods, and practices. This resulted in them partaking in adorning the walls with murals of their own.

3. The palace is full of murals of jaguars blowing a conch

photo by Muago-Wikimedia

While the palace is full of murals depicting felines, birds, and other animals, the one that stands out the most and can be seen repetitively is that of a jaguar blowing on a feathered conch shell that is dripping with blood.

Despite the difficulty in deciphering the meaning of this mural, experts believe that it is symbolic of war or conquest gave that the conch was an instrument that was blown before armies were led into battle. The bleeding conch could also symbolize an extracted heart which was also symbolic of conquest in the war for this ancient tribe.

4. The Palacio De Los Jaguares murals also feature paintings of owls

Photo by Agto Nugroho on Unsplash

On the walls of the Palacio De Los Jaguares, there are paintings of round-headed birds believed to be owls (this is odd and surprising) which is unlike many other cultures that are traditionally known to feature hawks and eagles.

These owls are depicted with blood dripping from their beaks which may be a symbol of war or a coat of arms for warriors. The mixture of rulers, deities, and warriors further enhances the view that the Palacio De Los Jaguares was most likely accessed by nobles and religious leaders.

5. The jaguar on the palace is symbolic of a ruler and his conquests

A keen observer is likely to notice that the jaguar drawn on the walls wears a headdress that has plumes of feathers and a triangular snake-like pattern. In its mouth is the conch earlier addressed which represents conquests and another below its mouth. However, what one is likely to miss is the long bench beneath the jaguar itself on which it sat.

Comparing this artwork with the Mayan culture, the long benches were used to depict thrones which would therefore suggest that the jaguar symbolizes a ruler. What better way to commemorate those who defended your country against an invading force? During the Mexican-American war, more than a thousand Mexican lives were lost trying to turn the invaders away.

Although unsuccessful, it was only right that their efforts be recognized. This can be seen by the blood stripes on the blue trousers of the Mexican marines. Moreover, near the entrance to the castle is a monument to the fallen during the same war.

6. The Palacio De Los Jaguares murals are still a mystery on who the artist was

photo by Deror_avi-Wikimedia

There is a certain belief among historians and archaeologists that the reason there is no trace of the Tehotihuacan people is that it once played host to many different tribes of people.

Therefore, when the complex city was ruined, every tribe moved into their fold and no trace was left of the united city. Therefore, the murals and paintings on the wall cannot be attributed to any one tribe or person due to the lack of historical records.

7. The palace murals represent an association between Tlaloc and the Aztec calendar

Tlaloc was the Aztecan rain god and is depicted by goggle-eyes, goofy fangs, and serpents seeping from his mouth. On one side of the palace, this image can be seen mounted within a golden circle.

This is reminiscent of the Aztec calendar stone which is thought to relate to either the ecliptic path or the milky way. The glyph may also correspond to a date/event such as a political era or the fifth sun.

8. Nobody knows what event ruined the Palace De Los Jaguares

Photo by Raph Howald on Unsplash

With no historical records available, archaeologists, as well as historians, have resulted in speculation on what ruined the Palace De Los Jaguares and the Tehotihuacan complex at large. Some suggest it might have been an invasion from an outsider or an uprising of the working class against the elite.

9. The murals on the palace have never been fully understood

Image by SMU Central University Libraries-Wikimedia

Although some of the murals have been encrypted through the little historical evidence present and the comparison with other ancient tribes such as the Mayans, most of the murals still pose more questions than answers.

10. The Palacio De Los Jaguares is not the only place with jaguar murals

Jaguars seem to be a prominent feature in these ruins as they can be seen on many walls and in many palaces such as in the Quetzalpapalotl palace. Perhaps the only reason this palace is called the palace of the jaguar is that the jaguar painting appears many more times than on the walls of the other palaces.