Temple of the Feathered Serpent, Teotihuacan

The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is the third largest pyramid at Teotihuacan, a pre-Columbian site in central Mexico (the term Teotihuacan, or Teotihuacano, is also used for the whole civilization and cultural complex associated with the site). This pre-Columbian city rose around the first or second century BCE and its occupation prolonged through to the 600s or 700s. Early growth of the population was relatively quick, with an estimated population of 60,000-80,000 inhabitants; it is suggested that the population reached up to 100,000 by the 300s

By the 200s, Teotihuacan had what is considered to be the largest complex of monumental structures in all of Mesoamerica. The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is only one of many grand features found at Teotihuacan, others include: the Sun Pyramid, the Moon Pyramid, the Avenue of the Dead, as well as the Ciudadela which encloses the Temple of the Feathered Serpent. With that, Teotihuacan is regarded as one of the most significant city-complexes in early Mesoamerica; it is also clear to see how its significant population is reflected by the monumental construction of the city itself.

The Temple of the Feathered Serpent is notable partly due to the discovery in the 1980s of more than a hundred possibly sacrificial victims buried beneath the structure. The burials, like the structure, are dated to between 150 and 200 CE. The pyramid takes its name from representations of the Mesoamerican "feathered serpent" deity which cover its sides. These are some of the earliest-known representations of the feathered serpent, often identified with the much-later Aztec god Quetzalcoatl. "Temple of the Feathered Serpent" is the modern-day name for the structure; it is also known as the Temple of Quetzalcoatl and the Feathered Serpent Pyramid.