The size of the Feathered Serpent Pyramid is not extraordinary in comparison to the Sun and Moon Pyramids, but all four sides were covered in luxurious and monumental carvings that represent the highest expenditure of energy among all of the sculptural programs in Teotihuacan, signifying the structure’s importance.

The facade depicts undulating serpents with heads that are surrounded by wreaths of feathers. The serpents’ bodies support facelike elements that appear to be headdresses, with nose pendants carved under the upper jaw. These images may represent a primordial crocodile, a symbol that was later used by the Aztecs as a calendar sign to mark the beginning of a new era.

Approximately 100 years after it was built, the western facade of the Feathered Serpent Pyramid was covered over by an additional construction and the sculptures on the other three sides of the pyramid were deliberately damaged or removed. Scholars are still unsure as to what political event led to this destruction. These two carvings from the façade were found on different sides of the pyramid’s base.