Why go
South of the main plaza, the Osario offers a different pyramid form: four stairways, serpent carving and a smaller footprint. Its traditional 'High Priest's Grave' name is only a label, so let the visible architecture lead the visit rather than treating the name as settled archaeology.
What to look for
- Four stairways rise around the Osario
- Serpent carving survives on the balustrades
The full story
Edward H. Thompson found a deep vertical shaft inside the pyramid leading to a burial in a natural cave below ground level. His discovery gave rise to the imaginative name Tomb of the High Priest; it does not identify the person buried there. The pyramid has stairs on four sides, with serpent bodies forming the stair borders and heads at their lower ends. Recessed panels on its seven stages contain pairs of fantastic birds shown with human adornment. The summit temple had upright serpent columns at its entrance, relief-carved stone pillars and an offering table borne by small atlas figures. Two pillars bear inscriptions with dates corresponding to 998 CE. Much of the temple's Puuc-style exterior was not found in place; fragments from fallen masonry allowed reconstruction of tall stacks of corner masks. These details connect the building to several architectural traditions without reducing it to a miniature copy of a larger pyramid.
Useful to know
- View from the public visitor path; do not climb or enter protected structures.
Your next visit
Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.
Outdoor visit · 10–20 min
World planning estimate; admission, opening, visit duration and access need checking.