Xochicalco
/ʃo.tʃiˈkal.koʊ/noun
An ancient Mesoamerican archaeological site and fortified city in present-day Morelos, Mexico.
Did you know?Xochicalco contains a carved underground chamber used to observe the Sun, and its architecture aligns with sophisticated Mesoamerican calendrical knowledge.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Nahuan
Proto-Nahuan
*xōchi-
“Flower; the floral element later appearing in Nahuatl compounds”
Classical Nahuatl
Nahuatl
xōchitl
“Flower”
Classical Nahuatl
Nahuatl
calli
“House or building”
Classical Nahuatl
Nahuatl
-co
“Locative suffix meaning “in,” “at,” or “on””
Pre-Columbian period
Nahuatl
Xōchicalco
“A place-name formed from xōchi- or xōchitl, calli, and -co: “in the house of flowers””
Modern English
English
Xochicalco
“The name of the archaeological site and ancient fortified city in Morelos, Mexico”
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