The Tenam Puente archeological site is located eight miles southwest of the city of Comitán, in the state of Chiapas. The name of the site is made up of two words. According to Marcos Becerra, Tenam is derived from the Nahuatl word “tenamitl” which means fortification. However Blom has stated that Tenam also applies to a complex of ruins in the region, and that the name of the farm where they are located was added to distinguish them from the other pre-Hispanic sites.

Tenam Puente is classed as a civic ceremonial center, it is situated at 5,250 feet above sea level, on a group of hills on the sides of the valley of Comitán. It covers an area of three quarters of a square mile and the various building complexes made the most of the natural shape of the land. The tops of the hills were chosen for the sites of the main complexes. The principal settlement is made up of approximately 60 structures which are spread out over a series of hills.

This site was one of the most important political entities of the Eastern Highland region of Chiapas. This was a Mayan culture settlement. Its apogee was during the Late Classic (600-900 AD) and the start of the Early Postclassic (900-1200 AD). This meant that new structures were being built continuously, the hills were modified and levelled out with long and high terraces at different levels. The acropolis was created with well-defined interior areas for people to circulate, while the three ballcourts found here denote the importance of the site at the regional level: this is the only site identified to date in the Comitán valley and neighboring areas which has so many ballcourts.