Valadores of El Tajin
El Tajin is located in the State of
Veracruz is inland 7 kms from the City of Poza Rica and costal Highway 180.
Outside this ancient site, Valadores, or “he who flys”,
perform their ancient dance. From a 75 foot pole, 4 men twirl upside down,
ropes tied on their waist, as the ropes unwind and lead them downward
to the ground below. A musician named a Caporal, plays a drum and flute from
a tiny platform perched on top of the pole and perform a ceremonial dance to
invoke the Gods.
Located in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, El Tajin was at
its height from the early 9th to the early 13th century. It became the most
important centre in north- east Mesoamerica after the fall of the
Teotihuacan Empire. Its cultural influence extended all along the Gulf and
penetrated into the Maya region and the high plateau of central Mexico.
Its architecture, which is unique in Mesoamerica, is
characterized by elaborate carved reliefs on the columns and frieze. The
'Pyramid of the Niches', a masterpiece of ancient Mexican and American
architecture, reveals the astronomical and symbolic significance of the
buildings. El Tajin has survived as an outstanding example of the grandeur and
importance of the pre-Hispanic cultures of Mexico. Unesco
View Ancient Sites in Mexico in a larger map