Wall of Skulls at Templo Mayor

sketchfab

A tzompantli or skull rack is a type of wooden structure used by various Mesoamerican civilizations to publicly display human skulls, often belonging to war captives or sacrificial victims. These racks are typically scaffold-like constructions made up of poles on which the heads and skulls were placed after holes had been drilled into them. Many tzompantli structures have been documented in Mesoamerica, spanning from the Epiclassic period (around 600-900 CE) to early Post-Classic times (around 900-1250 CE). In 2017, archaeologists announced a major discovery: the Huey Tzompantli, featuring over 650 skulls, was uncovered in Mexico City's Templo Mayor archaeological zone.