El Zapotal, Totonac archaeological site in Ignacio de la Llave Municipality, Mexico.

El Zapotal is a Totonac archaeological site in the Mixtequilla region of Veracruz, between the Blanco and Papaloapan rivers. Its shrine holds a large unbaked clay sculpture of Mictlantecuhtli, the death god, shown as an emaciated figure seated on a throne whose backrest merges into a tall headdress with human skulls in profile and lizard and jaguar heads. The shrine walls carry painted processions of priests on a red background.

The site served as a ceremonial complex from 600 to 900 CE during the Classical Period of Mesoamerican civilization. The remains show it held significant religious importance for the local population during this era.

The name El Zapotal refers to the site's setting among zapote trees. Offerings found here include a group of naked-torso female figures called "Las Señoras de la Tierra," identified as representations of Cihuateotl, and a hundred small clay figurines known as "caritas sonrientes" (smiling faces). The Mictlantecuhtli shrine itself was decorated with scenes of priests in procession painted on a red background.

The site is accessible by bus or taxi from nearby cities like Veracruz, Coatzacoalcos, Córdoba, and Orizaba with regular service connections. Wear sturdy shoes for walking on uneven ground and check local conditions before your visit.

The Mictlantecuhtli sculpture was left in place because of its fragility, and a museum was founded at the site to house it. The shrine's side walls carry painted scenes of priests in procession on a red background.