Chalcatzingo is located in eastern Morelos, in a truly extraordinary natural setting, as the pre-Hispanic settlement was established on the slopes of two rocky massifs known as Cerro Delgado and Cerro Ancho (or Chalcatzingo). From this vantage point, one can see the valley that, before the arrival of the Spanish, was inhabited by the 14 towns of the Tlalnahua, as noted by the renowned anthropologist Carlos Barreto Mark.

It is considered one of the most significant archaeological sites in the Central Highlands, as its cultural remains are closely linked to the interaction of Olmec culture between the Gulf Coast and central Mexico. The Olmec iconographic features preserved at Chalcatzingo demonstrate the high degree of social, political, commercial, artistic, and religious development achieved by that culture during the Middle Preclassic period.