Fun fact: the Toltec used wooden swords in battle so as not to kill their enemy

The Toltec was an ancient civilization in Mexico that gained power around 900 CE. Their capital was an urban center called Tollán, or Tula. In this city, archeologists have found remains of pyramids, ball courts, and temples.

The Toltec were superior in architecture. The name Toltec actually means “master builders” in Nahuatl. They were architecturally advanced because they had access to many materials, such as different metals and stones. Their influences were from Teotihuacán and the Olmec cultures. They built many churches and Olmec inspired pyramids, one of which was in the famous city of Cholula.

The Toltec were polytheistic, but focused their practices on Quetzalcoatl. Quetzalcoatl was a deity who represented the forces of good and evil. He resided in Tula until he left in search of his homeland. In his honor, they built a large pyramid in Cholula. The Toltec also practiced human sacrifice, sun worship, and a sacred ball game called tlatchli.

Around 1000 CE, the Toltec began to expand toward the south. Eventually, they dominated the Mayan empire. It wasn’t until the thirteenth century that the empire weakened, and nomadic people called the Chichimec destroyed them.

Unfortunately, there is not an abundance of information about the Toltec on the web. However, here is the site I found most useful in my research: http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/society/A0848989.html