The Quincunx
Period
Classic (100 BCE–650 CE)
Type
Architectural complex / Astronomically oriented ritual space
Location
In front of the Pyramid of the Moon, within the Plaza of the Moon
Form
Quadrangular, surrounded by a wall with a single western entrance
Elements
Series of altars or architectural features oriented to the four cardinal directions and their intersections
Reference
Féjérvary-Mayer Codex: correspondence between directions, colors, and deities
Function
Ritual space dedicated to the four cosmic directions and their associated deities
The quincunx—the figure formed by a central point and four points at the ends of the cardinal axes—is present in the iconography of much of Mesoamerica. It appears in ceramics, murals, codices, and the layout of architectural spaces across multiple cultures and periods. Its principle is simple and powerful: the cosmos has a center and four directions, and everything that exists finds its place within this structure. This complex, with its quadrangular plan and interior elements oriented toward the four directions and their intersections, materializes that principle in stone.
