Structure 3

By Geoffrey McCafferty (2008)

The corner of a small platform (Structure 3) was exposed in units S10/W4 and S10/W5, and in the east and south balks of S10/W4. The south face of the platform was a talud (sloping wall) faced with hard stucco in a good state of preservation (Figure 42). The talud sloped back 20 cm to a maximum height of 31 cm. The south face was followed for a distance of 3.75 m west from the corner and no end point was determined. It was oriented approximately 3 degrees west of

Figure 42. Structure 3

grid north, or 12 degrees east of magnetic north. This orientation is somewhat anomalous, since it deviates from that of the Great Pyramid of Cholula (24 degrees east of north [Marquina 1970:36]), as well as from that of Teotihuacan (15.25 degrees east of north [Millon 1981:200]).

A portion of the east talud of the platform was also exposed, although it was in poor condition. The top of the platform was a hard floor located 49-52 cm below the surface. Above the platform was a dense layer of collapsed adobe and wall material, but no intact structural elements were identified. The base of the platform was found at 81-85 cm below the surface, where a hard floor was exposed in Unit S10/W4 East Balk.

An adobe wall was found extending south from the southeast corner of the platform, continuing the alignment of the east face. The adobe wall was 30 cm wide and reached a maximum height of 25 cm. No end point was determined for this wall.

Ceramics from the construction fill of the platform were described as all monochrome, mostly black and reddish brown, with no polychrome sherds present. The absence of polychrome pottery and the construction technique of the talud led Wolfman (1968:7) to interpret Structure 3 as probably dating to the Classic period.

Although only a small portion of Structure 3 was exposed during the 1968 field season, more extensive investigations were conducted in 1969 and 1970 (Mountjoy and Peterson 1973).