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A pre-Columbian site near the city of Papantla in Veracruz state, El Tajin was once the capital of the Totonac state. Its name means "city of thunder" or "place of thunder". It was inhabited from the first century AD to the 16th century AD. The first construction goes back to 100 BC and building was continuous until c AD 1200 when the site was burned and abandoned. The principal structure is the Pyramid of Niches with 365 square niches built into the sides, corresponding to the 365 heads on the temple of Quetzalcoatl at Teotihuacan. There are several ball-courts and a series of carved reliefs depicting mythological and ritual themes in which ball-players have an important role. Another part of the site is Tahin Chico, containing chambered buildings on low substructures. The people of El Tajín maintained trade contacts with Teotihuacan and the Maya states. The art style of the site was subject to many influences including Mayan, Izapan, and Olmec, but Teotihuacan influence dominates the early period. The artifact most commonly associated with Classic Veracruz culture is the hollow, clay "smiling face" figurine. El Tajin's final destruction was probably at the hands of the Chichimecs.