Ixtlán del Rio (archaeological site)

In remote times in which early American settlers crossed the Behring Strait, several sedentary groups migrated south. The territory of present-day Nayarit State has manifestations of those settlers, chronologically and consecutively located in three cultural periods: Los Concheros, the shaft tomb tradition and the Aztatlán tradition.[2]

Shaft Tomb Tradition

Western Mexico archaeological sites. The orange circles show archeological sites. The larger green circles highlight the most important sites. Note that the sites form what has been called the "shaft tomb arc" which extends from northwest Nayarit through the central Jalisco highlands and down to Colima.

Reconstruction of an excavated Shaft tomb exhibited at the Museo Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, México.

On the traditional shaft tomb tradition, five major areas of concentration were identified, containing bones; ceramics for domestic use (pots, comales and pitchers); and remains of sculptural type (human and animal figures).[3]

The Shaft Tomb Tradition (500 BCE - 500 CE) constitutes a peculiar feature of mesoamerican prehispanic development in México, although there are analog burials forms elsewhere in the continent. Shaft Tombs thus far discovered in the Nayarit territory, were found and excavated outside of the settlement sites of that epoch, in vertical shafts (Wells), with one or two chambers where their dead were placed together with human and animal sculptures, also with large vessels that contained funerary offerings, these reflect the development achieved by this tradition, with the particular regional characteristics found.[2]

The Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition or shaft tomb culture refers to a set of interlocked cultural traits found in the western Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit, and, to a lesser extent, Colima to the south, roughly dating to the period between 300 BCE and 400 CE, although there are disagreements on this end-date. Nearly all of the artifacts associated with this shaft tomb tradition have been discovered by looters and are without provenance, making dating problematic.[4] The first major undisturbed shaft tomb associated with the tradition was not discovered but until 1993, at Huitzilapa, Jalisco.[5]

The shaft tomb tradition is thought to have developed around 300 BCE.[6] Some shaft tombs predate the tradition by more than 1000 years, for example, the shaft tomb at El Opeño in Michoacán has been dated to 1500 BCE but it is linked to central, rather than western Mexico. Like much else concerning the tradition, its origins are not well understood, although the valleys around Tequila, Jalisco, which include the archaeological sites of Huitzilapa and Teuchitlan, constitute its "undisputed core".[7] The tradition lasted until at least 300 CE although, as noted above, there is disagreement on the end date.[8]

Ceramic

Ancestor pair; 1st century BC-3rd century AD; height: 43.8 cm (171⁄4 in.); Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City)

This stage of prehispanic development distinguishes and identifies western Mexico from other mesoamerican cultural expressions, during the late formative period and early classical. The Nayarit shaft tomb complexes are identified within the early Ixtlán period (300 BCE to 300 CE), and three distinctive clay modeling styles have been defined: Chimisco, Ixtlán and San Sebastian.[9]

The pottery of this tradition shows abundance of colors, predominating red, orange, yellow beige and the "negative" form. Common themes are human beings as warriors, musicians, women, sick people and couples.[9]

The Ixtlán del Río site is known as "Los Toriles", it was a constantly growing city and its inhabitants place huge importance to its buildings. They had urbanism knowledge, applied to an organized arrangement, with stairs, restricted accesses, open spaces, altars, sidewalks, drains, causeways, neighborhoods and palaces throughout the extensive city that flourished from 700 to 1200 CE.[2]

It had its heyday as a city during the "Aztatlán Tradition" period, in an area extended over eighty hectares. In the late phase, that corresponds to the period from 1110 to 1525 CE, had artistic red smooth ceramic expressions for home use, vessels and molcajetes tripods with white decor on red. This same period developed the metallurgy used to produce ornamental, ritual objects and obsidian bifacial instruments. On slopes they built extensive terraces, palaces, worship spaces, people’s homes, farmland areas and obsidian carving workshops.[2]

It is clear that it is still unknown what was their original culture, it is only known that they were predecessors of the Coras and Huichol or Wixáritari peoples, they believed in life after death.[10] Accordingly, what their name was is not known, these were communities a little older than 2,200 years, and are known as belonging to the Shaft Tomb Tradition, constructed in vertical wells, round or square, representing the maternal uterus.[10]

Anthropologist Marina Anguiano concludes that at the Spaniards arrival to these lands, ethnic-linguistic groups existed of the Yuto-Aztec or Yuto-Nahuatl family, which had a socio-political structure divided into lordships, ruled by groups, possibly of noble rank, and a number of local lords.[2]

This archaeological site is considered related to the Aztatlán tradition, of which Corinca[11] was the last governor. Its constructions contain temples with stairways and altars made from round stones jointed with clay, slab stones and, in some cases, with carved stones with spirals and a serpent.[1]

The site was founded, in the 12th century, by Nahuatlacas tribes while on their way to the Valley of Mexico, and formed part of the Ahuacatlán kingdom, known by its constructions and obsidian objects which they traded.[1]

The site has an unusual pyramid for Mesoamerica; it is a round construction 24 meters diameter by four meters high. It has five stairways harmonically distributed around its perimeter. A wall that ends on top has small cruciform windows. Probably this was a ceremonial center dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, central image of the Toltec culture. The shaft tombs are the most representative funeral constructions of the area, although there are other modalities such as "shaft tombs" or earth graves where dead people were barely buried near the surface. Ceramics are constituted by spherical glasses with vertical walls tall neck and triple bell support. The most frequent ornamental motifs are flowers and streamlined butterflies, deer and tiger heads. There are many ceramic vessels decorated with white over red color rhombuses and segments.[1]

Due to its special characteristics, ceramics and sculptures from this region are known as "Ixtlán style".[1]

The small 30 to 40 centimeters high sculptures distinguish themselves by ornaments consisting of earrings and nose perforations, where they placed one or more hoops.[1]

From the rich Ixtlán ceramics, scale models with excellent finishing are featured, from them we can intuit their forms of life, the social organization and the economic life characteristic of these towns. There are scale models that represent houses, groups in some activity and ballgame courts. These are always constructions with life and movement. Also, worth mentioning, are sculptures representing soldiers, identifiable from a spiked helmet; the chest is armor protected and in their hands a cane resembling a mallet. The lower part generally is naked.[1]

Ixtlán del Río another view of the Round Structure

Ixtlán del Río archaeological site has a plaza, with an altar with four small stairways and to the sides buildings that appear to be small rectangular rooms.[1][9]

These temples/rooms are built on platforms with adobe pilasters, as well as sidewalks and stairways.[9]

One of these temples has a road paved with stone slabs, which leads to the round monument, discovered in 1948 by Prof. José Corona Núñez and eloquently describes his discovery, stating: "the round monument has 30 meters in diameter by 4 meters high;" sloped walls crowned by a perforated parapet with crosses, as if skylights, four access stairs, limited by alfardas die finished, some of them still have cross shaped handrails.[9]

Above, within the round patio, limiting the parapets are pyramid bases, one to the north and another at the south, with stairs geared toward the center. The North has a smooth vertical panel and the south has a beveled cornice. According to the remains found, these bases maintained small altars with column portals, ceilings and stone altered battlements: one shaped as arrowheads, others composed of a disk with two circles engraved, this monument is called "Quetzalcoatl Temple" and is believed to belong to the Toltec horizon by the Toltec cultural traits observed in its architecture.[9]

In earlier times, between 300 BCE and 600 CE., flourished a cultural complex known as shaft tombs tradition characterized by underground architecture and offerings deposited inside the funeral chambers. Its origins are ancient and have been found in the neighboring States of Colima, Zacatecas, Jalisco and Michoacán.[9]

Around 500 to 600 CE.,the shaft tomb traditoion disappears and a new way of perceiving life starts from 750 to 900 CE. This cultural development is identified as the Aztatlán tradition and is known in the mid-Ixtlán period (750 to 1110) which represents the apogee of this city dedicated to the God of the wind; and late Ixtlán (1110 to 1525) identified by red smooth ceramics household items and cajetes and tripod molcajetes with white decor on Red.[9]

One of the temples has a stone slab paved road, which leads to the round building of section A.[1]

During prehispanic times, western cultures buried to their dead in shaft tombs, these are vertical wells 1.5 to 16 meters deep, where diverse sculptures were placed as offering for the deceased; these were of various types of polychrome ceramic figures; animal forms, anthropomorphous and small and medium size scale models, which measured from five to 80 centimeters.[13]

The ceramic figures date back to the late Preclassical period (400 BCE to 200 CE) and to the Classical period (200 to 650 CE), these were discovered by archaeologists since 1945 until recent years in areas included in the states of Nayarit, Colima and Jalisco, where this funeral activity was practiced.[13]

In the case of the Ixtlán del Rio Archaeological Zone, the figures represent funeral processions, villages, people lying down or in beds, the flier and ballgame rituals, were modeled in reddish clay and decoration painted with black, red, orange, yellow and beige colors.[13]

According to art historian Lizeth Barreto Saucedo, these sculptures were modeled with reddish clay, dried and cooked in open fire.[13]

The funeral processions scale models are square or round, the carved figures depict many people; musicians, moving towards a house, while carrying the dead person for burial; they carry food plates and practice the cheek perforation ritual practice.[13]

The pieces representing the flier ritual, represents an individual dressed as a bird, on top of a pole on a flying simulation pose, can be leaning face down on the post or standing up looking upwards, houses are seen below and many people watching the ritual, some dance or play.[13]

Similarly, there are ball game sculptures, similar to the Mesoamerican "I" shaped structure, the difference here is that there are houses in the ends of the representation, and some spectators.[13]

The dancers and musicians figures not only appear in the processions scale models, there are also exclusive pieces of people groups in circular dances or playing instruments, such as drums, snails and flutes.[13]

The largest sculptures (20 to 80 centimeters) are anthropomorphous figures decorated with facial painting and different types from clothes, some are standing up and other are seated. Women carry vessels or children, and men carry balls or instruments, some are soldiers with shields. Figures of both genders carry jewels, earflaps and cut shell collars. The facial painting is naturalist and streamlined.[13]

Also sculptures with human figures representations are known with cheek perforations, in which three to four people are displayed (men and women) interconnected by an instrument that crosses their cheeks.[13]

The individuals lying down or in beds are similar to those from Veracruz, emphasizing that are figures tied to a bed, which would seem to indicate that are women dead from childbirth or convalescent.[13]

Five types of scale models have been classified, representing houses, measuring approximately 18 centimeters high by 20 wide and are distinguished by its shed roof with the corners raised in triangles form.[13]

The type 1 house lacks walls, only shows the roof and people inside. House type 2 has an ample room with walls. Type 3, the building half walls are leaned. Type 4, has two levels, with a room on each level and stairs. And type 5 is similar to Type 4, except that the house is full of people.[13]

Among the scale models, there are also villages with a circular construction in the center, very similar to the pyramid of the Guachimontones Archaeological site in Jalisco, surrounded by houses as previously mentioned.[13]

Shaft tombs are vertical wells, whose surface can be circular or square, and have a depth of between 1.5 and 16 meters, and a width of between 0.80 and one meter; there are two types: familiar burials underneath the rooms, or cemeteries.[13]

• Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition
• Teuchitlan tradition
• Guachimontones
• Cora people — native groups in western Nayarit, México.
  • Cora language
• Muisca—Chibcha peoples
• Chibcha language
  • Chibchan language family — Central America & Colombia.
• Danza de los Voladores de Papantla — Voladores Ceremony.

• Smith, Julian (2006) "Surprise Finds in Tequila Country" in Archaeology magazine November/December 2006.
• Weigand, Phil and Efraín Cárdenas, "Proyecto Arqueológico Teuchitlán", accessed May 2008.
• Miller, Wick. (1983). Uto-Aztecan languages. In W. C. Sturtevant (Ed.), Handbook of North American Indians (Vol. 10, pp. 113-124). Washington, D. C.: Smithsonian Institution.
• McMahon, Ambrosio & Maria Aiton de McMahon. (1959) Vocabulario Cora. Serie de Vocabularios Indigenas Mariano Silva y Aceves. SIL.
• Casad, Eugene H.. 2001. "Cora: a no longer unknown southern Uto-Aztecan language." In José Luis Moctezuma Zamarrón and Jane H. Hill (eds), Avances y balances de lenguas yutoaztecas; homenaje a Wick R. Miller p. 109-122. Mexico, D.F.: Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Historia.
• Beekman, Christopher S (1994) "A Classic Period Political Boundary in the Sierra La Primavera Region, Jalisco, Mexico", presented at the 59th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Anaheim.
• Beekman, Christopher S (1996) "Political Boundaries and Political Structure: the Limits of the Teuchitlan Tradition" in Ancient Mesoamerica, Vol 7, No 1, pp. 135–147.
• Smith, Michael E. (2007) "Form and Meaning in the Earliest Cities: A New Approach to Ancient Urban Planning" in Journal of Planning History, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 3–47.
• Weigand, Phil (2001) "West Mexico Classic" in Encyclopedia of Prehistory, Vol 5, Peter N. Peregrine (ed), ISBN 978-0-306-46259-7.
• Weigand, Phil C. and Christopher S. Beekman (1999) "La Civilización Teuchitlan" in La Jornada, Suplemento Cultural, vol 210, no 1-4. Accessed May 2008.
• Weigand, Phil and Efraín Cárdenas, "Proyecto Arqueológico Teuchitlán", accessed May 2008.
• Williams, Eduardo, "Prehispanic West México: A Mesoamerican Culture Area", Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc., accessed May 2008.

• Ixtlán del Rio Municipal Government Portal (in Spanish)
• Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México, Ixtlán del Río, Nayarit (in Spanish)
• Teuchitlán, Jalisco. Official Web Site (in Spanish)
• More information on Teuchitlán and Guachimontones (in Spanish)
• Galería de Fotos de Guachimontones (in Spanish)