In the last 12 years of archaeological research, the buildings that made up the central architectural complex of Chalcatzingo have been uncovered, which belong to various periods of occupation: Classic (200-650), Epiclassic (650-900) and Early Postclassic (900-1200). They emphasize a ball game, two structures (pyramidal foundations) that flank a small plaza and a palace complex to the east. The buildings of Chalcatzingo allow to know the social and hierarchical order that governed the ancient cultures that inhabited the place.

Structure A: This building flanks the main plaza on its south side. It has a square base and consists of three bodies (the last one totally destroyed by the clearing of the land in colonial times), identified during the excavations of 2006 and 2007; the one exposed is the second stage. The walls share the principle of the talud tablero, but in this particular case it is only talud and straight facing. Its main facade is on the north side of the building and consists of a staircase, with lateral alfardas, which ascends to the second body. The upper part of the second body was topped by a temple of square base, with a portico in front; it functioned during different periods, being the Epiclassic period in which it was mostly used. During the excavations abundant objects and fragments of urns, sculptures and vessels with elements that allude to a water deity were recovered, so it is likely that the building was dedicated to that deity.

Structure B: This building is attached to another building of larger dimensions: The Elongated Platform, which has been determined as a construction of the Middle Preclassic. On the west side of this building was built, in the Epiclassic period, a square building. Later, in the Postclassic period, a circular building was built on the same west side of the Elongated Platform, which has been deformed by the passage of time. Building B is composed of a stairway with its main facade on the west side, is composed of eight bodies and topped by a temple. Possibly it was dedicated to a deity of the wind.

Ballgame: It is located in the second terrace to the north of the architectural complex and to the south of the Olmec altar. It has the shape of a Latin “I”, its orientation is east-west and it is attached to the north façade of the Elongated Platform. It is a closed court ball game, of large dimensions due to the importance of the place as a sanctuary and the constant ceremonies and/or rituals that took place in Chalcatzingo. In addition, thanks to the excavations, it is known that it had a drainage system and that it had three constructive stages during its time of use.

Due to its petroglyphs, the site on the slopes of the Delgado and Ancho hills is known by the locals as Tehuetitla, a Nahuatl term that means place of the old stones. The iconographic elements captured by the Olmecs in these monuments stand out for their religious content and artistic quality, as well as for being considered the only reliefs of the Middle Preclassic in the Central Highlands.

Monument 1. The Water Giver: This monument, also known as “The King”, has as its central theme fertility, the water cycle and its association with the three planes of the universe (celestial, earthly and underworld), each one represented by its basic elements: the underworld by the cave contained in the mountain, the earthly by the plants and the armor of the hill, and the celestial by the clouds and the rain.

Monument 2. The Procession: This monument shows four personages: three are standing, totally dressed with mouth masks, headdresses and capes; the fourth is seated and totally naked, leaning his head and torso on a sculpture with animal features. The two central personages carry a coa in their hands and head towards the west, where the naked peronaje who is in a trance is located, while the third personage, standing, directs his steps towards the opposite side (east) with a bundle of reeds in his hands. The masks of the first and second personages are zoomorphic, corresponding to an eagle and a feline. The iconographic elements that accompany the attire of each personage have been identified as Olmec style.

Monument 6. Gourd Guide: It is a graphic representation of a gourd guide. Its leaves and the flower in some of the ramifications are appreciated, as well as the gourd in sprout. This monument is part of the group known as “Panel of the fertility” or “Panel of the fictitious animals” located in the east side of the Monument 1, associated to the petition of rain.

Monument 31. Crouching Feline: It is located in the path of the felines. It contains the representation of a feline subduing a human. It has been interpreted as a scene of copulation and fertilization of the land, due to the graphic elements that are appreciated. The feline presents a mouth mask with a bird's beak and the flaming eyebrow, characteristic of the Olmec style; while the human character is presented under the feline's paws, face down and totally naked.

Monument 45. Feline: This is the last discovery made during the month of May 2016. It consists of a scene of a feline on a human character. In this particular case the human lies dead, it is interpreted this way due to the way his arms are hanging. On the other hand, the feline is lying with its claws on the head of the human, presents a mouth mask with a bird's beak and a headdress on the forehead that seems to represent a plant.

It is part of a group of stelae and altars that are distributed in the low terraces to the north of the Central Architectural Complex.

This monument, discovered in 1974, is very peculiar since it synthesizes in an image the importance that women must have had in the last decades of the Preclassic era in Chalcatzingo.

It is a woman completely dressed in a skirt, sandals, blouse, a belt and a tunic that covers her head and hair. The female character is touching an element that could be the representation of a stela showing abstract symbols.

It is part of a group of stelae and altars that are distributed in the low terraces to the north of the Central Architectural Complex.

It is a U-shaped construction with an enclosed patio in front. Its architectural style resembles the monolithic altars of the Gulf Coast, with the difference that this one is composed of several stones and in its north facade it has, as main representation, the jaws of the earth.

It was discovered in the 1970's and has been one of the main references to adjudicate the Olmec affiliation of Chalcatzingo.

It is part of a group of stelae and altars that are distributed in the low terraces to the north of the Central Architectural Complex.

Monolithic structure of circular plan and cylindrical shape. It presents decoration in all the contour, as well as a bowl in the surface. This type of altars are uncommon and in Chalcatzingo there are two (see Monument 40). Both were associated with two stelae.

They are part of a group of stelae and altars that are distributed in the low terraces to the north of the Central Architectural Complex.

Monument 34 corresponds to an incised elliptical column with scrolls of different sizes on its three sides. The volute, also known in Nahuatl as Xonecuilli, is a very recurrent iconographic element in Chalcatzingo that is currently being studied.

Monument 40, very similar to 25, corresponds to a monolithic altar of circular plan and cylindrical form; it presents decoration in the contour, as well as a bowl on the surface. It is associated with the “Column of Volutes” stela. This type of structure is uncommon but it is similar to the circular altars that accompany the stelae in Tikal; nevertheless, they differ in temporality, being those of Chalcatzingo of the Middle Preclassic.