Almena Caracol

Ornamental element placed on top of the buildings, which has the shape of the cross section of a snail shell with spherical applications evenly distributed along the whole piece. The spike-like bases of this kind of pieces fitted into the top of the walls of some buildings. Recently, several of these ornaments or merlons were found in front of the Templo Mayor of Tenochtitlan, next to the building they probably belonged to, and which has been identified as the school for the noble class and priests, known as the calmecac. According to narratives and pictographies that describe or show contemporary buildings of center of Mexico, this kind of merlons would also crown the altar to Tláloc on top of the Templo Mayor. Arqlga. Bertina Olmedo Vera