Jim & Carole's Mexico Adventure

Etzatlán Adventure Part 4: Ex-Hacienda San Sebastian

2012-01-29T14:16:00.000-06:00

The Casa Grande of ex-Hacienda de San Sebastian just north of Etzatlán. The long porch, bounded by 14 arched portales, ends at the hacienda's white chapel with its lovely bell tower. Etzatlán lies in the heart the old hacienda country to the west of Guadalajara. To locate the hacienda on a Google map, click here. The turnoff from Highway 4 is a short distance west of Etzatlán, just before you come to Lake Magdalena, the small lake seen in Part 3 of this series. The property is now called Los Dos Hermanos, a rancho owned by a pair of brothers as the name implies. They are gradually restoring the Casa Grande (literally the "Big House"). I never met them during my two visits to the property, but they don't seem to mind the occasional visitor and their workmen were quite friendly on both my visits.

La Casa Grande

View of the Casa Grande from in front of the chapel. The old well in the foreground once produced water for the hacendado (hacienda owner) and his family. The Casa Grande sits on a slight rise, providing a vista of the valley to the east. I first learned of San Sebastian from "Quilocho and the Dancing Stars", a book about Quilocho Retolaza and the ballet stars he assisted in defending their gold claim in the mountains overlooking Ajijic. (See "La Rusa's Gold Mine".) In the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution, Quilocho returned from his service in Pancho Villa's army and became a professional hacienda administrator. One place he worked was a hacienda near Ahualulco, a town a few miles east of Etzatlán. While there, he briefly courted the daughter of the owner of Hacienda de San Sebastian. Several nights a week, Quilocho would ride over from the hacienda he administered about 10 miles away. Sitting on his horse outside a barred window of San Sebastian's Casa Grande, he would respectfully converse with his intended bride. She remained inside, behind the bars, with an older female relative hovering in the background as a chaperone. Such were the traditional courtship practices of the very conservative society that populated Mexico's old haciendas.

La Casa Grande's main entrance. Two beautifully-carved double doorways, called "la finca grande" give admittance to a large foyer inside. While the long porch running the length of the Casa Grande might have been used to enjoy the view, the main focus of the house is the central courtyard behind la finca grande. In this, Hacienda de San Sebastian followed the pattern found in most of Mexico's haciendas, according to Carlos E. Parra Ron, Etzatlán's official historian. The Casa Grande is part of a cluster of structures called the casco (helmet). The name fits because the casco contains the nerve center of the whole operation. In addition to the Casa Grande's living areas, a casco would typically include the Capilla (chapel), the administrative offices, the Tienda de Raya (company store), the stables, and the huerta (the owner's personal garden/orchard). Nearby would be some small dwellings for the household staff, called peones acasillados because their housing was considered part of their pay.

A large moth appeared on the wooden doorway as we prepared to enter the Casa Grande. The wingspan was almost 6 inches and the color matched the wood so well that it looked like an intentional decoration until we realized it was alive. During the 16th-18th Centuries, haciendas were the basic economic and political units of Nueva Hispaña, and they continued in that role in the new nation of Mexico during the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Prior to the Revolution, there were at least 470 haciendas in my home state of Jalisco. Today only about 120 have intact structures, but many of these now function as hotels, public buildings, orphanages, etc. A few still operate as large farms or ranches. The rest are in ruins.

Fountain in the center of the courtyard. The sculpture rising from the bowl of the fountain represents a cornstalk, with ripe ears protruding on all sides. Since pre-hispanic times, Mexico's most important food crop has been maiz (corn). Lush gardens surround the fountain, and most of the Casa Grande's rooms open onto this central area with access between them not by interior hallways, but by the exterior walkways around three sides of the courtyard. Behind the fourth wall, outside the Casa Grande, was the huerta.

An airy walkway along the east side of the courtyard. Just as the exterior porch is bounded by arched portales, so are the walkways. In all there are 27 such portales throughout the Casa Grande. Despite their beauty, haciendas like San Sebastian had a dark side. The hacendados ruled them like feudal barons. According to Sr. Carlos "their vanity made them believe they were demi-gods...they were little interested in the misery they created, and those who suffered the consequences were the poor people." There was a vast gap in wealth and social standing between the hacendado and his family and the peones who worked for them. Patios with flower gardens and artistic sculptures might be enjoyed by the owner, but the workers lived in squalid, one-room, dirt-floored huts. San Sebastian's records show that 400 peones worked there in 1903. For them, a day's work paid only .37 centavos from which they had to support not only themselves but their families. Most were not lucky enough to be peones acasillados with free huts, so they might well have to pay rent to the hacendado for the privilege of living in their hovels. Such was the structure which underlay the hacienda owner's sumptuous life.

The Casa Grande's dining room was filled with expensive furniture. In the early days, the furniture would have been made by the hacienda's own carpenters. As the wealth of owners grew, they began to import the latest furnishings from Europe. In rooms like this, they entertained their neighbors from other haciendas, as well as socially acceptable travelers who stopped overnight as they journeyed along the old Camino Real (Royal Road) between Guadalajara and the Pacific Coast port of San Blas. This lifestyle would have been impossible had the workers been free to seek better pay and working conditions. The hacendados solved this problem through a clever device created to bind their workers to the hacienda. The Tienda de Raya, or company store, was located within the casco under the hacendado's close supervision. It had a two-fold aim. The overt purpose was profit for the owner from selling basic food stuffs and other necessities to the workers. The markets of the town which sold similar but cheaper goods were a considerable distance away, so the markup could be high. The covert aim was to create debt among the low-paid workers. Encouraged to buy on credit, they often never saw any actual money for their hard work. The hacendado's records always seemed to show them in debt and whether the records were accurate or not, who was to say? The workers were generally illiterate and challenging the hacendado could be a risky business. If the worker tried to leave without clearing the debt, he would be brought back by the rurales (rural police) for severe punishment. At the end of a hard day, it was better to shrug one's shoulders and order another glass of tequila from the Tienda de Raya. Put it on the tab, por favor?

La Capilla

The Capilla was always closely adjacent to the casa grande of a hacienda. The society of Nueva Hispaña and 19th Century Mexico was deeply religious, particularly among the hacendado class. Above, the Capilla is attached to the north end of the Casa Grande, and is dedicated to San Sebastian Martir (St. Sebastian the Martyr). It can be entered either from a door opening onto the porch or from the yard. Unfortunately, both times I visited the doors were locked so I never got to see the inside. According to Sr. Carlos' book, the Capilla is entered through a huge old wooden door, with iron fixtures, including a door knocker and a lock, that are all equally antique. The wooden pulpit and choir area are also original. There is an attached sacristy where the priest could don his vestments. Above it all towers a campanario (bell tower) to call the faithful to worship.

Hacienda San Sebastian's capilla is an elegant little building. The front yard is shaded by trees and adorned with flower gardens. Through the centuries, the occasional priest or bishop stood up for the indigenous people and poor mestizos. However, the church as an institution was closely allied with the ruling classes. In fact, among the vast, pre-Revolution holdings of the Church in Mexico were many haciendas. The physical proximity of the chapel to the boss' house is a graphic example of the political and social relationship between the two elites. If workers and the poor could be focused on the purported rewards and punishments of the next life, it would be easier to get them to stoically accept the hardships and inequities of this one.

The garden entrance to the Capilla. The framing of this doorway is in the neo-classical style popular in the mid-18th Century. While San Sebastian is close enough to Etzatlán that a priest could ride out to conduct services, if a hacienda was too remote, the priest might live in the Casa Grande. Although not directly an employee of the hacendado, such a priest would be unlikely go out of his way to offend his host by, for example, protesting the conditions of the workers. The hacendado would no doubt be on good terms with the local curate or bishop and could make it hot for such a wayward priest. There was also the example of Father Miguel Hidalgo y Castillo who, in 1811, was decapitated and his head hung from the walls of the Alhondigas in Guanajuato after he roused the poor to revolt against their oppressors at the beginning of the War of Independence. Significantly, prior to his execution, he was excommunicated by the Church.

The bell tower surmounting the Capilla served a double purpose. The bells of the campanario called the faithful to worship, but they also summoned the workers to their tasks in the morning. Later in the day, the bells alerted the hacienda's women to load mules with the food they had prepared for their men out in the fields. At the end of a long day, the bells again sounded, calling the men home. The large bell in the center was nicknamed La Gordera, after the men responsible for yanking the bell cord, called los gorderos. One of these men was known for ringing it before the mid-day food was fully loaded, causing the mule train to set off prematurely and the men in the fields to go hungry that day. Although he usually tried to blame the women for being tardy, he was still remembered bitterly by former peones 80 years after the hacienda was disbanded.

A beautiful palomino horse, saddled and ready, waits for its rider to return. Any self-respecting hacendado kept fine horses in his stable. Jalisco, and much of the rest of rural Mexico, has deep roots in the horse culture. Although some horses are kept by the wealthy for show, they are also considered to be vital working animals by ordinary rural Mexicans . A driver who ventures down any country road will soon encounter Mexican vaqueros herding cattle, or simply traveling from one place to another. Common sounds outside the window of my room where I write this blog include the clop, clop, clop of hooves on the cobble stone streets. One of Mexico's most cherished symbols is the Charro, mounted on a steed like the one above, and wearing his huge embroidered sombrero and silver disks down the side of his skin-tight pants. The old haciendas of Jalisco are where the Charro tradition originated, along with tequila and the mariachi band.

La Casa de Campo

La Casa de Campo, seen from the garden of the Capilla. La Casa de Campo (the Field House), was separate from the casco, but was also an important structure on a hacienda. Here the hacendado met with the peones to direct them on the coming day's work or get their reports from the fields at day's end. This was also where tools and equipment were stored. I was charmed to find beautifully arched portales gracing the front of such a utilitarian building. When I peeked inside, I found large tractors and the other mechanized farm equipment that greatly reduced the need for the hundreds of workers that used to assemble here. Since this hacienda's founding in the 17th Century, its economic focus has changed from time to time. However, maiz (corn) has been important throughout San Sebastian's history. Ground by hand in stone metates, it produced tortillas for the hacienda's workers, provided feed for the animals, and was sold in the markets of Etzatlán and elsewhere. According to Sr. Carlos' book, "Hacienda de San Sebastian", the most important crops in 1905 were--in order of value--maiz, beans such as guasano and frijol, barley, wheat, and potatoes.

Livestock was also important to the hacienda. Cattle, horses, pigs, and sheep were raised. Wool from sheep was an important source for revenue, according to the 1905 records. In this same pasture, I also encountered a goat. Cabrito, or baby goat, is a favorite dish in this part of the country.

Blue agave, the source of tequila to satisfy a thirsty world. Hacienda de San Sebastian lies south west of the towering Volcan Tequila which dominates the countryside. This is tequila country, a drink which gets its name from the small city of Tequila on the north side of the volcano. Only the liquor from the Blue Agave which is grown here, and fermented, distilled and bottled in this area can be called "tequila." The use of Blue Agave to produce an intoxicating drink goes far back into pre-hispanic times. The indigenous people originally drank pulque from fermented but undistilled Blue Agave. This ancient, mildly-intoxicating drink is still consumed in many rural areas, although beer has largely supplanted it in many places. Early records show that Hacienda de San Sebastian was well known for distilling and selling tequila as far back as the 17th Century.

The setting of the hacienda is one of great beauty. San Sebastian lies in a lush valley, surrounded by the volcanic mountains seen in the background behind the Casa de Campo. In the foreground, the ever-present bougainvillea arches over a garden wall. The original 17th Century builder of the hacienda is unknown, but the Pachecho family, headed by Manuel Pacheco Calderón, became the owners in the mid-18th Century. He was from Santander, Spain, and the property he bought included 1000 hectares (2.47 thousand acres) of fertile land. At its peak, in the early 20th Century, the hacienda possessed almost 65,000 acres.

Plaza, pond, and workers' houses

A small plaza with a kiosco stands next to the Casa Grande. The plaza is at the south end of the Casa Grande, the opposite end from the Capilla. Here, the pre-Revolution peones would celebrate the many fiestas associated with saints days. Today, their still-poor-but-free campesino counterparts follow some of those same old traditions. In 1865, a hard-driving pair of brothers arrived in the area from Asturias, Spain. They were determined to make their fortune in the still-new nation of Mexico, and they succeeded beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Their names were Manuel Fernández del Valle, and his brother Justo. They married two of the daughters of Francisco Martínez Negrete, an important Mexican businessman. The brothers were low on capital, but these marriages allowed access to the funds they needed to start their empire, which ultimately included Hacienda de San Sebastian.

A stream was dammed to create a large pond with a ready water supply. The adobe ruins of an unknown structure stand watch over the hacienda's major water source. While we were there, a local boy and his girlfriend fished the pond with a hand-thrown net. The del Valle brothers bought textile factories, invested in railroads, bought mines, and started the Bank of Jalisco. They were among the founders of the Guadalajara Chamber of Commerce. Everything they touched seemed to turn to gold. By 1914, they had acquired Hacienda de San Sebastian at a price of $350,000 pesos, an amount equivalent to several million of todays pesos. At the time, the primary focus of hacienda was livestock, but it was still producing quantities of maiz, frijol, and mezcal.

Homes of the old peones acasillados are now occupied by their campesino descendents. The adobe structures are small, but tidy with glass windows and flower gardens. In front of one, the pinto horse of the occupant grazed contentedly. The Mexican Revolution (1910-1920) was a disaster for the hacendado class. Their peones rose up in vengeance for 400 years of oppression, often killing the hacienda owners. Their casas grandes were looted and 70% of Jalisco's haciendas were left in ruins. Lands were confiscated and distributed to the farm workers and their families. The surviving hacendados were often left with only a few of the casco buildings, if they retained anything at all.

Three young vaqueros decided to give us a show. We were photographing the pond when I spotted them mounting up so they could deliberately ride through the middle of our shots. We were delighted at their casual expertise, and they obviously enjoyed the novelty of our presence. The property, called ex-Hacienda de San Sebastian after it was stripped of most of its lands, saw its casco buildings deteriorate as they passed through various hands. In 1994, Miguel and Silvestre Ramos Meza acquired the old casco buildings and enough land to create Rancho Dos Hermanos. Over the last 17 years they have slowly refurbished the Casa Grande and some of the other casco buildings, as well as the Casa de Campo. They are developing a functioning farm with the help of the workers living in what is now called simply San Sebastian. Ninety-eight people still live in the old peones' houses. They are evenly divided by sex and slightly less than half are children. The median amount of education among them is 6 years, but Rancho Dos Hermanos is rebuilding a ruined school, using community labor. Things are looking up.

This completes Part 4 of my series on Etzatlán. In Part 5, I will take you on a short tour of Etzatlán's small but excellent museum containing artifacts found in ancient tombs, including some found on the property of ex-Hacienda de San Sebastian. I hope you enjoyed this look at a beautiful old Mexican hacienda. Feel free to leave your thoughts in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Etzatlán Adventure Part 3: A tour of the colonial-era Parroquia and the Capuchina Convent

2012-01-14T09:36:00.000-06:00

Templo de la Purisima Concepción. It is located on the northeast corner of Etzatlán's Plaza Antonio Escobedo, also known as Plaza de Armas. Construction on the original church on this site was begun in 1527, three years after the Spanish arrived. Like many other early churches it was built upon the foundations of an indigenous temple. La Purisima was constructed under the direction of Franciscan friars. They were the first Catholic religious order to evangelize the newly conquered people. La Purisima became the main church, or Parroquia, for the area. In a previous posting I displayed several more photos of the building's exterior. The church repeatedly played a part in Etzatlán's history. During the Reform War of the 1850s, a group of Federalists holed up in the steeples you see above and fired down upon their enemies, the Centralists, in the plaza below. Most of the Federalists were killed in the skirmish, but their action re-invigorated the Federalists' cause nationally, and they eventually won. During our first two visits, the church wasn't open, but on our third visit we got a formal tour of its interior, as well as that of the Capuchina Convent near the northwest corner of the plaza. In this posting, we'll take a closer look at both of these colonial-era treasures.

A divider with a bench adorns the street in front of La Purisima. The divider was created by a local craftsman who was one of the parishioners of the church. He implanted facing tiles along the sides and base in the shape of animals and other designs, creating a charming and comfortable place to sit in the shade of a tree and enjoy the activities of the plaza scene.

A worker cleans the bronze bust of one of the early Franciscans. Etzatlán's Centro Historico almost seems to glisten from the care taken by the local people. At least two of those whose busts are displayed were martyred during the 1540-1542 Mixtón War. This bloody affair was an indigenous revolt set off by the depredations of conquistador Nuño Beltran de Guzman and mistreatment under the Spanish-imposed encomienda system, a barely disguised form of slavery. The Franciscans were seen by some of the native people as part of that system because the granting of an encomienda to a conquistador required that--in return for the right to demand forced labor--the encomendero would also force the indigenous people to give up their traditional beliefs and be indoctrinated in Catholicism.

Interior of Templo de la Purisima Concepción. The blue and white draperies attached to the columns on the sides were put up as part of the fiesta celebrating the Virgin of Zapopan. This version of the Virgin Mary is highly venerated of Jalisco State and her devotees believe she answers prayers for protection against plagues, storms and other disasters. She was introduced into Mexico by Franciscan Antonio Segovia shortly after the Mixtón War. In later wars she earned the nickname La Generala because she was believed to have helped Spanish forces from Jalisco to win several battles.

The sweetness of Jesus. A statue of the crucified Jesus hangs high above the main altar. This is a very old figure, crafted in the 16th Century from sugar cane paste. The statue used to be taken down and paraded around town during fiestas, but it is so fragile now that it is not allowed outside the church. The substance from which the statue was made also indicates that sugar cane was an important crop in the area at a very early time, as it still is today.

The interior of the main nave is beautifully decorated. The color of the stone pillars and walls lightened up the interior of what could have been a gloomy space.

Painting of the first Franciscans in Mexico. They gather together on the beach as one among them preaches. A laborer watches as the Spanish ships that brought them sail away. The caption at the bottom says "The first Apostles of Mexico." Directly across the nave on the opposite wall is another painting of the same size and framing. This one shows eleven of Jesus' Apostles gathered in a similar fashion. There is a conspicuous blank area in this painting representing the absence of Judas, the man who betrayed Jesus to the Romans. The early Franciscans in Mexico saw themselves as the Apostles of their day, facing the massive job of evangelizing a hostile and idolatrous New World population. The Mixtón War indicates that the indigenous people of Mexico may have seen things a bit differently.

Crypt containing the bones of early Fransican martyrs. This plaque covers a crypt in the wall to the left of the main altar. In the Catholic faith, the bones of martyrs are revered. During the fierce struggles of the 19th Century Reform War, Federalists were enraged by the support the Catholic church provided to the Centralists. At Eztatlán in 1859, this rage was expressed when the local Federalists removed the martyrs' bones from the crypt and dumped them in the street outside the church. A few feet from the crypt, a concealed passageway begins. It leads behind the altar area, and may have been originally connected to tunnels that are purported to lead to the mansions of leading citizens.

Near the exit to the concealed passageway, a Franciscan figure holds a child. In the foreground stands a massive candle in an ornate silver holder. The passageway and its supposed connection with neighboring mansions may have been part of an escape network for Centralists during the Reform War, or it might possibly have figured in the Cristero War of the late 1920s. The latter war occurred when the government attempted to enforce provisions of the Constitutions of 1854 and 1917 that curtailed the influence of the Catholic Church on Mexican life and politics. The Cristero War was waged with ferocity in Jalisco. Many priests were executed, while the religious fanatics backing the Church committed their own atrocities.

A unique religious artifact. This 16th Century stone baptismal font is the first ever carved in Mexico by a native craftsman. It is no longer used and sits in a glass case in the Parroquia's small museum.

A candelabra from the old days. I spotted this when I happened to look up to admire the old wooden rafters that spanned the corridor leading to the Parroquia museum. The candelabra is made of wood and wrought iron and may have lighted this hallway for centuries until it was supplanted by electricity.

San Francisco stands in an interior courtyard of La Purisima. As is typical of his depictions, he is shown with birds on his shoulders. San Francisco (St. Francis) is the patron saint of animals and the environment, among other things. Ironically, he was also the rather dissipated son of an Italian merchant in the Middle Ages and fought as a solder for his native town of Assisi. A vision led him to live with and preach among beggars. He eventually created one of the largest and most powerful religious orders within the Catholic Church. Our guide, Carlos E. Parra Ron, stands beside the statue. Carlos is the official historian of Etzatlán and wrote a delightful little book on nearby ex-Hacienda San Sebastian. It is available in the tourist office. Although there is presently only a Spanish-language version, I read fluently enough now that I have found it a valuable guide not only for San Sebastian but to help me understand hacienda life in general.

Floral relief design on early building block. A large block of stone containing this design lay against the wall behind the statue of San Francisco. It apparently decorated one of the early versions of La Purisima. Carlos pointed out a similar block built rather haphazardly into the exterior wall.

The Capuchina Convent

Steeple of the Capuchina Convent, seen from the roof of Hotel Centenario. One of Jalisco's many extinct volcanos rises steeply in the background. The official title of this church is Monasterio del las Damas pobres, Hermanas Clarisas Capuchinas, de la Divina Providencia y Nuestra Señora de Zapopan (Convent of the Poor Women, Capuchin Sisters of the Divine Providence and Our Lady of Zapopan). This is quite a moniker for a relatively small church, although the original convent was somewhat larger than what exists today.

Entrance to the Capuchina Convent's church. When I first visited, I wasn't impressed by the entrance and didn't bother to go inside. However, first impressions can be deceiving, and I took a closer look on my subsequent visits. The walls on either side of the entrance are plain and unadorned but the towering entrance itself was clearly from an antique period. Santa Clara (St. Clare) of Assisi was one of San Francisco's first adherents. Clare of Assisi was born in 1194 AD and first heard San Francisco preach in 1212 AD when she was 18. Almost immediately, she decided to give up her planned marriage and follow San Francisco. She later founded her own order based on the Franciscan tradition, and eventually both her sister and her mother joined as nuns. In 1958, Pope Pius XII designated her the patron saint of television because she was said to be able to see mass on her wall when she couldn't attend because of illness.

A small cherub-like figure appears on the capital of each column. This happily grinning little figure holds the entrance stonework up like a tiny version of Atlas holding up the world. I always enjoy capturing little details like this, which could easily be missed by a casual glance.

The main nave of the Convent's church. The ceiling was much lower than that of the Parrochia, giving the feeling of being underground. Perhaps it is all the low arches supported by thick pillars. In spite of its tunnel-like atmosphere, the church is surprisingly well-illuminated and didn't require a flash for decent photos.

The main altar is covered by an overhead dome. The style of the altar area is Neo-classic, while the rest of the church interior is Romanesque. To the right of the photo is a doorway, blocked by a huge, solid, and very ancient wood door. Our guides pointed out the antique lock on the door, and noted its age. Old or not, it blocked the entrance to the nuns' quarters, and we could go no further in that direction.

Several elegantly-carved confessionals line the walls on the left side of the church. I was intrigued by the construction of these confessionals. The priest sits inside, out of view, while the person confessing kneels outside and speaks through a grille. Most confessionals I have seen elsewhere conceal both the confessor and the penitent. It seemed to me that this arrangement might tend to compromise the secrecy of the confession.

Jesus, sitting up, in a glass booth. The depiction of Jesus in Mexican Catholic churches is often pretty graphic, showing lots of injuries and blood. I am not religious, but I grew up in a Presbyterian household. In that tradition, Jesus, when seen at all, is always clean and antiseptic. Here, he is shown dripping with blood, but in a rather odd posture. My friends and I paused and stared at this for some time, trying to understand what seemed so strange about it. Finally, someone remarked "he looks like he's talking on a cell phone!" On that rather irreverent 21st Century note, we left in search of lunch.

This completes Part 3 of my Etzatlán series. In Part 4, we will visit the ex-Hacienda San Sebastian, an excellent example of the economic, social, and political structure that controlled Mexico for hundreds of years until it was finally destroyed by the Revolution. I hope you have enjoyed this posting. If you would like to comment, please do so in the Comments section below or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so that I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Etzatlán Adventure Part 2: The elegant Hotel Centenario and some great places to eat

2012-01-07T18:34:00.001-06:00

The hotel entrance is guarded by a beautifully intricate wrought iron gate. Hotel Centenario faces the southwest corner of Plaza de Armas in Etzatlán's Centro Historico. We discovered the hotel on our second visit to this small colonial city. After our first brief visit last summer, I researched Etzatlán for a blog posting and discovered how much we had missed. In the fall, we paid a second visit and stopped by the Hotel Centenario. We were charmed by its elegance and astonished by its low rates. On our third visit, a dozen of us from the Lake Chapala area stayed here. Everyone loved the hotel and its staff and we all agreed that Hotel Centenario is a very special place, just a Etzatlán is a very special town. To locate the hotel in Etzatlán, click here.

We were greeted by this lovely young hotel employee. Karina gave us a tour of the hotel facilities and explained the rates. As with the other hotel staff we met, she only spoke Spanish. However, Karina was very patient with us and we managed to get the information we needed. Hotel Centenario is owned and operated by a Mexican couple, Ausencio Huerta Garcia and Elsa Imela Quintero del Castillo. The site of the hotel has served many functions since the 18th Century when a wealthy Spaniard built a large home here. After silver and gold were discovered in the mountains overlooking Etzatlán, the raw ore was sent to a mill at the site. The ore was turned into ingots and shipped to Mexico City where it became the silver and gold coins used in Nueva Hispaña's commerce. In 1913, during the Mexican Revolution, troops under Generals Alvaro Obregon and Luis Blanco used the property as a barracks. In 1914, the site briefly became the official residence of Governor Manuel Dieguez of Jalisco State. During the later 20th Century, the city bus station was located here for a time.

Like most colonial-style buildings, the hotel is built around a central courtyard. A large fountain burbles in the center. There are two floors in the hotel with a total of 10 rooms. On the ground floor, all the rooms open onto the courtyard. The upstairs rooms are reached by the beautiful curving staircase that you saw Karina descending in the second photo. The large door on the left of the photo above leads into the formal dining room. The courtyard provides a delightfully airy, sunny feel. The hotel is stocked on both floors with lots of potted plants and comfortable leather chairs and sofas. Ausencio and Elsa have divided their responsibilities. She runs the hotel with a firm but motherly hand, and the quality of the service shows it. Ausencio operates the Centenario's small but elegant bar next door. The evening we arrived, he kindly offered everyone in our group a complimentary cocktail.

Leather and wood furniture provides comfortable places to enjoy the ambiance. The rust colored tiles covered the area around the ground-floor courtyard. I dislike overusing words, but elegance comes to mind again and again whenever I look through these pictures. Sometimes beautiful chairs don't live up to their appearance when it comes to comfortable seating, but these certainly do. When Ausencio and Elsa bought the property 9 nine years ago, it was in ruins. They initially wanted to build their family home on the site, but then changed their minds. They felt that Etzatlán needed a hotel worthy of its beauty and history. Creating Hotel Centenario out of the rubble they found was not easy, according to Elsa. Their success is manifested in the photos of this blog posting. Ausencio and Elsa chose the name Centenario in reference to the coins created from the silver and gold ore milled here long ago. The treasure they have created is every bit as real as those old metal coins.

Sharon and Wayne are Lake Chapala "birders". The local birding community tracks the wild fowl that live around Lake Chapala or show up seasonally. I didn't know them before I arranged this trip, but they had heard about it through mutual friends and asked to be included. They were a good addition to our party. In fact, there were a number of people on the trip who had not known each other previously. Everyone got along wonderfully, even when things didn't always turn out quite as expected. Mexico always has interesting and often amusing little quirks. Dealing with these while maintaining a relaxed sense of humor is a requirement for a happy life here.

The rooms were comfortable and beautifully appointed. Carole didn't come on this adventure, so I took a single room and it cost me only $370 pesos per night ($26.90 USD). Weekend rates are a bit higher, and the larger rooms and suites are more expensive, but even for those the charges were still very reasonable. The rooms on the second floor of the hotel in the front have small, wrought-iron balconies overlooking the street and the plaza. The rest of the hotel's rooms open onto the central courtyard.

The second floor balcony above the courtyard also has a sitting area. Above, Julika (lt.) Anne (middle) and Denis (rt.) discuss the plan for the day. Julika and Denis are married Americans, but she originally comes from Germany and he is from Ireland. Anne is Canadian. For me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of the foreign community around Lake Chapala is its international flavor. Etzatlán lies at the foot of heavily wooded mountains which can be viewed from here. The balcony also overlooks the courtyard below.

Pam rewarded me with a beautiful smile when she spotted me taking her photo. Pam and her husband Chris are Canadians, but originated elsewhere, as so many of my Canadian friends did. Pam was born in Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon) and Chris in Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia). They met at a party when Chris was studying for the bar exam in London. After they married, they moved first to Zimbabwe (formerly Southern Rhodesia), then to South Africa, and finally to Canada. They were very eager to come on this adventure, and turned out to be delightful traveling companions.

Where to eat in Etzatlán?

Hotel Centenario includes a large, formal dining room filled with antiques. The hotel does not include a breakfast as a part of its room rates, but will prepare one (and lunch, too) if guests request it in advance. Since we had a full schedule, it made sense for all of us to eat here rather than to individually scatter around town in search of breakfast. The kitchen staff served up eggs prepared in a variety of ways according to individual taste. I had a scrumptious omelette, along with fruit, toast, juice, and coffee. The charge was $70 pesos ($5.00 USD).

Mi Casa restaurant was an unexpected find. Mi Casa means "my home" in Spanish. When we got back to the hotel from our first day's adventures, I immediately went in search of a restaurant, since the Centenario dining room is not open for dinner. Small Mexican towns are often thin on restaurants because most people eat with their families. In addition, many have too little disposable money to go out to eat, except at small taco stands and the like. I walked all the way around the plaza and scoured some of the side streets with no success. Discouraged, I returned to the hotel. I decided to climb up to the mirador (look-out area) on the roof to enjoy the lights of the city at night. Peering over the edge of the wall to the street below, I spotted Restaurant Mi Casa--right across the street! It lived up to its homey name and served a delicious variety of traditional Mexican dishes. I tried the pozole and sopes. Pozole (po-so-lay) is sort of a thick stew, made with pieces of pork and corn with a tomato base and spiced with chile. Often, Mexicans will prepare a big pot of steaming pozole when they are expecting guests and dish it out as they arrive. A sope (so-pay) is a sort of miniature pizza, about 4" across, cooked by dipping it in hot oil. Sopes come with a variety of toppings including cheese, onions, and ground meat of various kinds. Although the proprietors seemed a bit astonished at the sudden appearance of a dozen hungry foreigners, they recovered quickly and all of us came away with full and happy stomachs.

Just west of town is a lovely lake, the location of another great restaurant. The lake is less than a mile west of town on Highway 4, the main highway that runs along the northern outskirts of Etzatlán. For a Google map showing the lake's location, click here. Like many of Jalisco's lakes, this one has a large colony of lirio, or water hyacinth, an invasive species. Pretty, but fast growing, it doubles its population every two weeks. One plant can become a million separate plants in an amazingly short time. Lirio is also extremely hard to extirpate. 19th Century hacendados brought lirio into the area as decorative plants for their garden ponds and Jalisco has been fighting it ever since. Even so, the lake is lovely and home to a variety of bird life, most especially white egrets.

La Gaviota is one of a string of restaurants built along the lakeshore. La Gaviota (the seagull) is open-air, with a palapa (palm frond) roof. Our guides from the tourist office recommended this place, and it turned out to be an excellent suggestion. The day was crystal clear and sunny, with the deep blue sky reflecting beautifully on the lake.

Once again, an astonished restaurant staff hustled to accommodate us. We arrived about noon for lunch, but Mexicans tend eat their comida after 2 pm, so the staff had to rush a bit to set up for us. No matter, they were clearly glad for the business of 15 paying customers (our 12, plus 2 guides and an interpreter). Everywhere we went in Etzatlán, we were treated royally. With a little help from us, the staff pulled a long row of tables together and soon the waiter was taking orders. There were lots of choices on the menu, but seafood seemed to predominate. Although most of the food was Mexican-style, I noticed that the ubiquitous cheeseburger was also present. The prices seemed very reasonable.

Above, a silent evesdropper swung on his trapeze. There were lots of fun decorations hanging from La Gaviota's ceiling, including this brightly-painted paper maché macaw. This guy looks like a lot of others I saw craftspeople creating in Tonalá, a major crafts area of Guadalajara.

Getting "the scoop" from our guides. Sharon (lt.) listens intently as Juan Pablo Ochoa (rt.) translates for Etzatlán's official historian Carlos E. Parra Ron (middle). As I was setting up for the trip, I decided to see if the Oficina de Turisimo could help. My email exchanges with Lupita in the office seemed to indicate they would, but my Spanish is still shaky. This being Mexico, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. We were overwhelmed by the response. Not only did they provide Carlos, but Lupita came along to make sure everything went smoothly. I had requested a translator and they provided Juan Pablo on the first day and his sister Ana on the second. Both spoke excellent English and were a great help since Carlos speaks no English, although he is very good on local history. Before we all parted company at the end of the trip, we gave them each a generous tip. We had been charged nothing for their services and they had really gone the "extra mile" for us. I also wrote a nice "thank you" email to each of them and sent another to the municipal president thanking him for providing such fine and helpful staff.

Oh! And about La Gaviota's food... This was one of several styles of shrimp served. It tasted as good as it looks. After munching on the antojitos (appetizers) and consuming the main course, we practically waddled out of the restaurant.

This concludes Part 2 of my Etzatlán Adventure. In Part 3, we'll take a little tour through the Parroquia church and the Capuchina Convent to see their lovely architecture and some of the 16th Century artifacts preserved in these colonial religious sites. I hope you have been enjoying this series so far, and that it spurs you to visit Etzatlán, if you get down this way. If you could like to leave a comment, please do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Etzatlán Adventure Part 1: Street Scenes

2011-12-31T13:26:00.001-06:00

Etzatlán's Presidencia Municipal overlooks the south side of the main plaza. Several months ago, I went with some friends to look for old haciendas. We used a route suggested by Tony Burton in his book Western Mexico, a Traveler's Treasury. A treasury it was, because in it we discovered a jewel: Etzatlán. This small colonial town lies about 2 hours west of my home in Ajijic. I had actually read a little bit about Etzatlán while doing the research for "La Rusa's Gold Mine", one of my blog postings. The book "Quilocho and the Dancing Stars" is, in part, about that gold mine. I discovered that Quilocho Retolaza, one of the main characters, had administered a hacienda near Etzatlán in the 1920s and had regularly visited the town on business and to visit the cantinas with his friends. The description of the town intrigued me, and so did that of ex-Hacienda San Sebastian where Quilocho courted the hacendado's daughter. When I found mention of both Etzatlán and the hacienda in Tony Burton's book, I was hooked. I urged my friends to include it in our hacienda tour, and that is how we discovered our jewel, set in a lush valley surrounded by volcanic mountains. For a Google map of the area, click here.

Statue of Jose Antonio Escobedo, native son of Etzatlán and former Jalisco Governor. Etzatlán figured in many of the most dramatic episodes of the history of Nueva España and Mexico from the very earliest days of the Conquest. To find out about this history, and to see more of my photos of Etzatlán, check out my earlier posting on the town. Escobedo was one of several Jalisco governors who were born here, and the town was briefly used as the state's Capital during the Revolution. I found a good deal of this fascinating history on the municipal government's excellent website. In addition to the town's history, the site covers places to visit, shopping, hotels and cabins, restaurants, fiestas, archaeological sites and much more. Although it is in Spanish, it is relatively easy to follow even for someone who doesn't know that language. I have also discovered that Google has a free browser called Chrome which will translate Spanish-language websites.

Lupita, my contact in the Tourist Office. Lupita speaks no English, so my interactions with her were an adventure in itself. I had to use my rather limited Spanish, about which she was very forgiving. Although my ability to read Spanish is improving rapidly, I confess that some of her emailed responses to my queries left me a bit baffled. Still, she was eager to help and that assistance proved invaluable as our adventure unfolded. Her small office is located on the first floor of the Presidencia Municipal right at the corner of Independencia and Escobedo. There is literature available there about the area, and the binder on the desk next to her is filled with photos and information about interesting sites to visit. One of the most valuable pieces of literature I obtained was "Hacienda de San Sebastian" (cost: $50 pesos--$3.58 USD) a small book written by Carlos E. Parra Ron, the town historian. He includes a wealth of information not only about this nearby historic hacienda, but about the structure and operations of haciendas in general. My Spanish is now at a level where I can follow it pretty well. I was so enthralled with the book that I decided I must meet the author when I next visited Etzatlán.

Plaza de Armas is a green and inviting oasis. Across the cobblestone street from the Presidencia Municipal is the large Plaza de Armas. A recent fiesta accounts for the patriotic streamers draped from the lamp posts. On my first brief visit, we were charmed by the plaza and its surrounding colonial buildings and churches. The area practically sparkled, it was so clean and inviting. I decided immediately that this place deserved another visit. As it happened, I returned twice more. Even so, I have yet to exhaust all the possible things to see and do. For a Google map of the Plaza de Armas area, including the Presidencia Municipal and the Hotel Centenario, click here.

In the center of the plaza stands an elegant kiosco. Broad brick walkways radiate out from the center, dividing lush gardens. Lining the edges of the gardens and the perimeter of the plaza are graceful wrought-iron benches. A mixture of palms and deciduous trees provides cool shade from the bright sun.

The roof of the kiosco perches delicately on iron supports. This is one of the prettiest kioscos I have seen in Mexico. Some have been more elaborate or larger, but few have been as graceful. The lacy iron filigree at the top of the slender pillars is particularly nice. The kiosco was a gift from the French government during the regime of Mexican dictator Porfirio Diaz who ruled Mexico from 1876 until the 1910 Revolution.

It's a dog's life. This pooch was deep into a nap when I happened by with my camera. He never opened an eye, although I am sure he knew I was there. It's hard to match the sense of relaxation a dog can convey. Mexico abounds in dogs, including some that are abused or neglected. However, many dogs that foreigners assume are strays are, in fact, someone's pet, whether or not they wear a collar as this one does. The pets tend to be sleeker and somewhat cleaner. Most of the Mexican dog owners I have encountered don't lock up their animals, or keep them on leashes. As a result they tend to be much better socialized to people and other dogs than the pampered and often highly neurotic pooches found north-of-the-border. The down-sides are widespread dog poop and a high incidence of dogs killed or injured by passing cars.

Arched portales line Calle Juarez on the west side of Plaza de Armas. This photo, taken on my first visit, shows white blotches on the yellow wall. These are plaster patches, made in preparation for a fresh paint job. You can tell a lot about a Mexican town by how it takes care of its plaza. The one in Etzatlán gives evidence of great civic pride. The design of this walkway is very old. In the 17th Century, Spanish King Phillip II decreed that such covered walkways should be provided around plazas throughout Nueva España. He wished that those doing business should be protected from sun and rain. Phillip II was the same king who ordered the Spanish Armada to lead the invasion of Queen Elizabeth I's England. His action becomes more understandable when we remember that Queen Elizabeth was sponsoring pirate raids by men such as Sir Francis Drake. They raided Spain's New World colonies, plundering, raping, and murdering everywhere they went. Fortunately, they never reached as far inland as Etzatlán.

The Juarez portales, post-paint-job. On my second visit, I discovered that the portales along Calle Juarez had been painted a pleasing shade of green. Etzatlán, like most Mexican towns, has a plaza that is surrounded by government offices, the Parroquia church, and small businesses like cell phone stores, ice cream shops, etc. Above, my fellow hacienda explorers engage in a bit of window shopping. They are the two tall guys with broad-brimmed hats. Mike is on the left in the shorts, and Dave is on the right in the blue shirt.

The "whatever" store. A little further along was a store I nicknamed the "whatever" store. Want a bird cage? How about a plastic bucket? Maybe a hoola hoop or artificial flowers or a broom? This store has an amazing and eclectic variety of goods. I was attracted to the bright, jumbled colors and the sheer mass of the goods packed together in a relatively small space.

These three pretty girls wanted to try their English on us. They were of high school age and, as I recall, they had some kind of school project that required the use of English. I missed most of the exchange since I had been photographing the colonial Capuchina Convent (to be seen in a future post). They were already walking away when I emerged, so I called them back for a photo, and they were happy to oblige me. I don't believe I saw any other foreigners during my 3 visits to Etzatlán. Everyone treated us with great courtesy and respect, quite royally in fact. People seemed delighted that foreign tourists were interested in their town and definitely wanted to attract more.

Everybody loves a puppy. An older woman was toting this little guy down the street, wrapped in what looked like a diaper. The puppy drew attention where ever she went. Dog-lover that I am, I just had to get a photo of this cutie.

"Tortilla, anyone?" As I passed by this open-front restaurant, I took a quick photo of the women preparing comida, the traditional mid-afternoon meal. I raised my camera and one of the cooks gave me a warm smile and raised a tortilla in salute. The casual warmth of the people here makes Etzatlán a very attractive place.

Look, but don't ride! My eye caught this fine-looking saddle outside a leathershop on Calle Escobedo. Etzatlán is vaquero (cowboy) country, and saddles, boots, and horses are everywhere. The sign on the saddle says "Please, don't mount your children." Apparently many a small, would-be vaquero has persuaded his parents to do just that.

A street musician and his daughter entertain passersby. As I have said more than once in this blog, I love that my life in Mexico is accompanied by a live musical soundtrack. Street musicians are everywhere in Mexico. Often they will be accompanied by an assistant like this young girl who will encourage people like me to contribute. I nearly always do. It's a hard way to make a living and they give great value for the money.

This completes Part 1 of our Etzatlán adventure. Next week we'll take a look at the historic Hotel Centenario, the gorgeous place with a fascinating history where we stayed on my 3rd visit. We'll also sample a few of the excellent restaurants we found. Anyone considering an overnight stay in Etzatlán should find this next posting very useful, as well as being being interesting for the general viewer. If you would like to leave a comment, please do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Lake Chapala's Ajijic pueblo, a photographer's delight

2011-12-24T12:59:00.001-06:00

Ajijic's Iglesia de San Andrés. Also known as the Parroquia, the present church was built in 1749. A hurricane destroyed the original church, which had stood since 1535, shortly after the Conquest. A Parroquia, or "parish church", is the main Catholic church in a geographic area, usually named after the patron saint of the town or village, in this case San Andrés (St. Andrew). Depending on a town's size, there may be satellite churches or chapels that are serviced by a Parroquia, as there are in Ajijic.

I took this photo during the Worldwide Photo Walk on October 1. Thousands of people in communities around the globe gathered in groups to walk around and photograph their communities. Ajijic was one of these, and about 20 or so photographers gathered in the late afternoon around the kiosco in the center of Ajijic's plaza. The idea was that everyone would submit their best photos for a world wide competition. Due to a technical glitch, my name never got properly entered, so I didn't submit my work, but I didn't really care. It was a beautiful evening, and I was joined by good friends who are fellow photographers. It seemed like a fun occasion. The photos in this posting are some of those I took during that golden fall afternoon.

Veronica and Jay, two of my favorite people in Ajijic. Veronica is Mexican and Jay is from the US. Both are photographers, but Jay is a professional, and a true artist. They live together and operate a photographic gallery called Studio 18 on Calle Colon, just south of the Plaza on the way to the Ajijic Pier. Veronica is a remarkable young woman, not only lovely and sweet but smart and ambitious. She taught herself English so she could sell real estate to the many foreigners who come here. She has done remarkably well, even in Lake Chapala's extremely difficult real estate market. Jay is gifted with a camera. He captures not only the beauty of people and places, but often the humor of a situation. For a look at some of Jay's work, click here.

Exotica Bar, over the Jardin Restaurant at the Plaza. Frankly, I was dubious that there might be anything interesting on the route we were to take that I hadn't shot several times before. I was prepared to enjoy an afternoon simply hanging out with friends. To my surprise, I found lots of photographic subjects, some new since I had last wandered the area with a camera, and some things I had just never noticed before. Photography is like that. It forces you to really look at your world. In the photo above, I was initially attracted by the flags, Canadian, Mexican, and US. They are nicely framed by the steep, jungly mountains that abruptly rise a few blocks north of the Plaza. Then I noticed the row of drain spouts on the right, each surmounted with a ceramic lizard. I am really more of a photojournalist than an artist like Jay, and I like to use my pictures to tell a story. The shot above captures the international flavor of the area, the nature of the landscape in which we live, and the quirky art with which we are surrounded.

Sculpture/painting of egrets at the Jardin Restaurant. The artist is Bruno Mariscal, whose murals and other public art can be seen all over Ajijic. I have done some other postings showing Sr. Mariscal's work, as well as on the egrets, both Great White and Snowy, that inhabit the shores of Lake Chapala. Sr. Mariscal has perfectly captured their essence, both in motion and standing still. The Great White Egret in the foreground is actually a relief sculpture set into the painting, giving the whole work a three-dimensional appearance. The Jardin Restaurant is one of the chief "watering holes" for expats in Ajijic. If you should visit the restaurant, take a moment to closely examine Sr. Mariscal's work. I guarantee you will be impressed.

Hands up, Señor! In the Artist's Alley that connects the Plaza with Calle Marcos Castellanos, I found myself looking down the business end of a pistol gripped by Pancho Villa. Beside him stands Emiliano Zapata, another of Mexico's beloved heros from the Revolution. This is a detail from a long wall mural celebrating Mexico's Bicentennial. The Revolution began in 1910, and the War of Independence exactly 100 years before it, in 1810. Artists in Ajijic and elsewhere were encouraged to create murals and other works as part of the celebration. This mural was painted by Bruno Mariscal and includes famous figures from both events. Among them is Marcos Castellanos, a local priest who led the resistance to the siege of Mezcala Island, about 20 miles east of Ajijic, a couple of kilometers off the shore of Lake Chapala.

The colors of life in Mexico. The deep blue skies and the intense orange flowers of the Tabachin tree (Delonix regia) exemplify the wonderful colors that surround us here. When foreigners first encounter Mexican art, crafts, or textiles, they are sometimes startled, even a little put off, by the vibrant and often wildly contrasting colors. This is especially true if the objects are encountered out-of-context, perhaps in a Canadian or US gift shop. The effect can be jarring. However, a visit to the source is revealing. Mexicans create vividly colorful objects because the natural colors of Mexico are riotous. Where we live, the climate is perpetually spring, so flowers bloom year-round. Bright colors that in a north-of-the-border context would seem to clash with each other blend easily and grow around us everywhere, in gardens and in the wild.

A study in blue, found on Calle Ocampo. This is an example of a scene that one might walk by every day without a second thought. Something about the blue, almost turquoise, color caught my eye. It reminded me of the Maya Blue found in the colors of murals in ancient sites I recently visited. The twisting edge where the broken plaster ends and the brick begins reminded me of a winding river seen from a great height. The bricks themselves, covered and recovered by successive plaster layers, suggested a long history partially revealed. I also liked the way the bricks abruptly end and deep shadow begins. Had I passed this spot any other time than late afternoon, with its slanting light and deep shadows, I probably would never have noticed it.

Quetzal bird adorns a stained glass window. Another example of the lovely art one encounters at every turn in Ajijic. This one adorns the front of a house at the corner of Calles Nicolas Bravo and 16 de Septiembre. Quetzals are found in the high humid forests and woodlands of Mexico and Central America. They were considered sacred by the ancient people, and the creator god Quetzalcoatl is half Quetzal bird and half snake. The bird's feathers, especially from the long tail, were often used in the huge head dresses worn by the nobility and priests of ancient times. The Quetzal is considered so important by modern Guatemalans that they gave its name to their basic unit of currency.

Ancient pictograph symbols at the corner of Javier Mina and 16 de Septiembre. Painted symbols like these have been found in caves and on rock overhangs frequented by nomadic people beginning in the Archaic period (10,000-8,000 BC). This home was obviously decorated by someone with an interest in both art and archaeology. Many of the symbols are quite accurate in their representation of the ancient styles. As shown above, the ancient artists often painted over previous art. They also often left outlines of human hands, perhaps the signatures of the artists. Pictographs, in which the artists used paint, are not to be confused with petroglyphs, in which the artist carves into the surface of the rock.

A quiet afternoon at the corner of Javier Mina and 16 de Septiembre. I liked the way in which this corner is flattened and not right-angled, and is sheltered by the luxuriant palm. The small windows across the street are all barred, but the bars are decorative and painted a pleasing blue. This place possessed a very 19th Century feel, and I half expected a troop of mounted Mexican lancers to come clattering around the corner.

Barred window, Calle 16 de Septiembre. I enjoy the way people here take something that could appear mundane or even ugly, and turn it into a thing of beauty. Bars on doors and windows are an unfortunate necessity here, because burglaries are common, although very few occur when people are home. However, the people who operate the many local herrerias, or iron worker shops, can turn a necessity into a work of art using nothing more than a simple sketch.

A lion's head breaks the tedium of a long blank wall, Calle 16 de Septiembre. I liked the way the setting sun cast a shadow along this wall, emphasizing the lion's wavy mane and fierce countenance.

The vaquero and the and the señorita. I couldn't tell what was being said here, so I let my imagination run with it. This fellow would no doubt like to become much better acquainted with the pretty girl whose horse he was leading through the streets. By the look of her expensive sunglasses and boots, she is probably an affluent city-girl from Guadalajara. Many Mexican tourists from that city descend upon Ajijic and other parts of Lake Chapala's north shore on the weekends, among them a lot of pretty señoritas like this. There are plenty of local cowboys who bring strings of horses into town in hopes of renting them to the visitors. Sometimes, fortune smiles.

A small vignette on Calle 16 de Septiembre. When I really pay attention, I constantly find interesting little vignettes like this one, about 1/2 way between Calles Morelos and 5 de Mayo. I was interested in the combination of aged, crumbling adobe, a porthole window, and an antique lamp, all nicely framed by brick, which is itself lit up by the rosy glow of the setting sun.

A puffy-cheeked 17th Century nobleman gazes out from an old door. There were a pair of these tall, narrow, wooden doors at the front of a house on Calle 5 de Mayo, at the corner of 16 de Septiembre. The other door had a matching face. The doors appear to be 17th Century originals, probably transplanted from some grand home elsewhere. In the 17th Century, there were few if any homes in the humble pueblo of Ajijic that could have justified a door like this. This is another example of something easily missed, unless you pay close attention to your surroundings.

Roof tiles and chimneys of the Old Posada. Clay tiles roof a local landmark called the Old Posada, a restaurant next to the Ajijic Pier at the end of Calle Morelos (also known as Calle Colon further north). Clay tiles just like these have been in use since the time of Mycenaen Greece (700 BC-650 BC) when Homer wrote his epic poem about the Siege of Troy. They became popular throughout the Mediterranean area, and were eventually brought to Nueva Hispaña from Old Spain. The condominium where we live is roofed with similar tiles. The rich and brightly contrasting colors seen here are typical of many homes and businesses in Ajijic and elsewhere in Mexico. The Old Posada itself has a long history. Hernán Cortéz awarded what is now Ajijic to his cousin, a man named Saenz (Cortés liked to keep things in the family). Saenz used the site where the Old Posada is now as a mill, and called the indigenous people to work with a trumpet made from a conch shell. The mill operated under various owners from the mid-1500s to the 1950s. Eventually it became a hotel, under the ownership of the Eager family. Later they moved the hotel further east on the lakeshore and called it the Nueva Posada. The Old Posada became a restaurant, as it is today.

Blankets and other textiles displayed in front of the Old Posada. Several local indigenous women weave these textiles, sometimes with back-strap looms, a technology that goes back thousands of years. Other pieces are woven using foot-powered looms, relatively unchanged since the Spanish introduced them into Nueva Hispaña in the 16th Century. Notice the bright, wildly contrasting colors on some pieces, a style that mimics the natural world here in Mexico. The women usually arrive in the late morning and hang their goods from the huge old eucalyptus trees that grow in front of the Old Posada, and Yves, a neighboring restaurant.

Vino Blanco waits for lunch outside Yves Restaurant. This little white burro has become the mascot of the lakefront. I've never been quite sure who owns her, since various people seem to attend to her needs. She is very gentle and affectionate, and loves to be petted and fed treats like carrots or pieces of lettuce. The purple substance on her nose is medicine for a persistent skin condition. During fiestas, she is sometimes hitched up to a small cart to pull children in the parades. On those occasions, her hooves are painted pink and she wears a gaily flowered straw hat. She seems very patient about it all. Most of the time, however, she grazes on tufts of grass beside the pier and waits for the next group of tourists to fawn over her. If her lunch is not timely, she is known to bray plaintively.

The Ajijic Pier and a tourist boat sporting a small Mexican flag. Afternoon shadows were growing long when I took this shot. This was one of those crystal-clear winter days when you can see the individual folds of the mountains 12 miles across the lake, and the golden light makes everything seem to glow.

Water sparkles as the sun drops low in the west. A fellow photographer set up her tripod to catch the light as it moved over the mountains across the lake. I decided to make her the subject of my shot. The lovely new malecon (waterfront walkway) is a real addition to Ajijic. This one and several others were built in the last couple of years. The local governments who funded the construction were probably spurred by the anticipation of tourists coming to attend the Pan-American Games, some of which were held at Lake Chapala in the last half of October in 2011.

As night falls, swallows gather on telephone lines. Jay and Veronica and I walked from the pier up to Studio 18 at dusk. As we moved up Calle Colon, the noise of birds chattering and flapping their wings attracted our attention. Overhead, hundreds of swallows were settling in for the evening on the lines. It had been a lovely day. I didn't think I had gotten very many decent shots until I downloaded to my computer that night. In the end, I was quite pleased with the results of the day.

This completes my posting. I hope you enjoyed this leisurely stroll around Ajijic as much as I did. If you'd like to leave a comment, please do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 15: Cacaxtla's Venus Temple and the Battle Murals

2011-12-19T19:26:00.000-06:00

The Bird Priest in Cacaxtla's North Platform. This is a detail of one of Cacaxtla's most striking murals. Standing on either side of a doorway are two figures who may be priests or rulers. One is dressed as a bird, the other as a jaguar. The juxtaposition of birds and jaguars is also found in the great battle murals which line the central plaza of the city. In the mural above, a tall figure wears a head dress in the shape of a bird's beak and flowing wings attached to his shoulders and upper arms. He is richly dressed, and carries in his arms a large shaft whose lower end is a gaping snake's mouth. These are the oldest mural paintings in Mesoamerica featuring human figures who share features from a variety of cultures, including Maya, Totonac, and that of Teotihuacan. They were created by the Olmeca-Xicalancas who inhabited Cacaxtla between 600 AD and 900 AD. This was during the period of Cacaxtla's greatest power. The Bird Priest seen above represents Quetzacoatl, the creator god who taught humans about the arts and agriculture. For the historical background of Cacaxtla and its even older sister city of Xochitécatl, please scroll down to the previous two postings.

The Venus Temple

The Venus Temple contains two dancers, a male and a female. The Venus Temple is found on the west side of the Gran Basamente, the great platform on which Cacaxtla rests. A male and a female dancer can be seen on two parallel supporting structures.

The male dancer is the least damaged of the two. He is naked from the waist up, but wears short pants of jaguar skin, and a kind of flaring skirt over those. The belt holding up his skirt has buckle that is a symbol for Venus, hence the name of the temple. On his ankles he wears dancing rattles. Notice also that he has a scorpion tail which extends behind him between his legs and off to the right side of the column. There is a wicked-looking stinger at the end.

Urn found at Cacaxtla with the figure of a dancer on the side. Notice the similarities between the figure on the urn and the painted dancer. He wears a similar skirt and rattle anklets and his head dress bears some similarity to the painting. I thought this was a particularly fine piece of pottery

The female dancer also wears a jaguar skin underskirt. Unfortunately, this painting is more damaged than that of the male. Similar to the male figure, she also has an overskirt held up by the Venus symbol. The reference to Venus indicates an astronomical phenomenon or a calendrical date associated with Venus. To the people of this culture, Venus represented warfare and sacrifice.

The Battle Mural

The Battle Mural runs along the north side of the central plaza. It can be seen just under the row of broken pillars in the background. The two halves are separated by a broad staircase in the middle leading up to the North Platform and the temples and ritual rooms it contains. The Battle Mural stretches about 22 meters (72 ft.) along the central plaza's north side. It contains extraordinary scenes of bloody combat and human sacrifice.

Skull found at Cacaxtla. There was no sign indicating whether this was from a sacrifice or a simple burial. There appears to have been plenty of both at Cacaxtla. The city grew up in the wake of the fall of Teotihucan. That great empire had stabilized Mesoamerica for 500 years, and its sudden collapse around 600 AD left a great vacuum of power and authority. Into that vacuum rushed a host of small cities, vying for control of the resources of their areas. Cacaxtla had the good fortune to occupy a key strategic position on the trade crossroads between the Gulf Coast and the inland civilizations, as well as the route leading from the Zapotec civilization around Oaxaca up to the northern high plains. Such a position naturally created conflict with its envious neighbors. Warfare during this period was fierce.

The Battle Mural panels located to the right of the central staircase. The mural dates from the period prior to 700 AD, in the century immediately following Teotihuacan's fall when regional conflicts were at their height. These and other murals were discovered in the 1990s by local looters looking for pots and other objects to sell. Word quickly got out about a major discovery. Because they were buried, the vivid colors of the murals survived for 1100 years after Cacaxtla was abandoned. The Mexican archaeological authorities have left them in place, but otherwise have taken great care that they should not be damaged by weather or vandalism.

Jaguar Warrior spears an Eagle Warrior. The Jaguar Warrior is in the center of the photo above. He carries a round Maya-blue shield and is thrusting his spear point into the chest of an Eagle warrior who is lying down, leaning on his elbows. Military cults associated with Jaguars and Eagles appear in several Mesoamerican civilizations, including the Toltec Empire based in Tollan (Tula), and the Itzá rulers of Chichen Itzá. These cults reached their peak in the Aztec Empire where they were the elite units who led the fight against Hernán Cortéz.

The dirty work got done with obsidian weapons like these. On the left is a spear point, while the blade on the right may have been part of a long knife or thrusting weapon. Obsidian is volcanic glass, a substance that can be shaped into very sharp tools or weapons. The cutting edge on some obsidian weapons has been found to be many times sharper than modern steel surgical instruments.

Another Jaguar Warrior raises his spear for a deadly thrust. The meaning of the Battle Mural is in dispute among archaeologists. Some see it as a genuine battle, with the Jaguar Warriors apparently emerging victorious. Others believe that the scenes represent a mass human sacrifice, possibly of captives from a battle. The evidence offered for this is that many of the Eagle Warriors appear to be unarmed and are dismembered. What appears to be the head of an Eagle Warrior lies just in front of the left foot of the Jaguar Warrior shown above. I don't have an opinion in this dispute. What seems clear to me is that the Jaguar Warriors represent a victorious and triumphant Cacaxtla. The Battle Mural may portray an actual battle, and ancient cities didn't tend to celebrate their great defeats.

A snarling stucco figure may portray an ancient warrior-ruler. The museum at Cacaxtla contains a number of figures dressed in fantastically complicated garb, like the one shown above.

The Bird and Jaguar Priests

The Bird Priest. This is the full panel containing the Bird Priest, seen in close detail in my first photo of this posting. In addition to the priest and the feathered snake upon which he stands, there are many interesting details to this mural. I wondered about the purpose of implement he holds in his arms, but the sign at the site held no explanation. The border of the panel surrounding the priest contains many further details.

Detail of the Bird Priest mural. Here you an see the serpent, with green/blue feathers along his back. This is a clearly a reference to Quezalcoatl, the famous "feathered serpent", a deity whose origin goes back at least as far as the earliest period of Teotihuacan, around 100 BC. The "business end" of the device held in the priest's arms is the head of another snake, which seems about to devour the head of the feathered serpent. Note also the feet of the priest, represented as the talons of a bird. My interpretation of this scene is that the priest is using the device to intimidate the snake on which he stands, or perhaps as a tool to direct it. This may be intended to emphasize the ability of the priest to make the god do what he wants. Of course, this is only my speculation. I invite anyone who has information about the meaning of this image to leave a comment. Notice the plants and animals along the border below the feathered serpent. There are at least 27 different plants and animals represented in this and the other murals around Cacaxtla.

The Jaguar Priest is both similar and different from the Bird Priest. To the left of the doorway leading to the inner sanctum, facing the Bird Priest, stands the Jaguar Priest. Their postures are similar, and they both carry large shaft devices with which they appear to be directing or influencing the creatures on which they stand. In the mural above, the Jaguar Priest stands upon an elongated jaguar. Jaguars were viewed as powerful symbols throughout Mesoamerica all the way back to the Olmecs. Interestingly, drops of water appear to be cascading from the device down onto the head of the jaguar. Water was a very important element in prehispanic life and, as such, carried very powerful symbolic meanings. Like the Bird Priest, the Jaguar Priest has the feet of an animal, in this case the claws of a jaguar.

Bust of a ruler/priest found at Cacaxtla. The figure, which appears to be speaking, or even shouting, wears an elaborately feathered head dress and a large necklace of some sort.

Hutches to raise animals, but what kinds? Again, there seems to be a dispute among archaeologists about these small stone enclosures. One source holds that they were for raising parrots, whose brightly colored feathers were valuable throughout the ancient world. Another asserts that these are rabbit hutches used to raise food for the noble elite who lived in the Cacaxtla complex. I suppose it is also possible that their use could have changed from one to the other over time.

A figure with the face of a tipsy clown. Although this fellow wears the garb of an important figure, his face is anything but solemn with authority.

Xochitécatl's Pyramid of the Flowers, seen from Cacaxtla's North Platform. This ancient pyramid was built, according to some, as early as 700 BC. It is part of a separate complex that is much older than Cacaxtla. If you missed my Xochitécatl posting, it is Part 13 of this series and you can just scroll down. This photo gives you a sense of the close proximity of the two sites, and of the woods and small fields that surround both. From each site, one has a vast, 360 degree vista of the surrounding valley and volcanos in the distance.

This completes Part 15 of my series on Puebla and is the end of the series itself. My next posting will be entirely different: a whimsical, photo-walk around Ajijic, the Mexican village where I live. I think you'll enjoy the change. If you have any comments on this or any of my other postings, please leave it in the Comments section below or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 14: The vivid murals of ancient Cacaxtla

2011-12-11T20:28:00.002-06:00

Even after 1300 years, Cacaxla's murals are amazingly vivid and full of life. Carole and I had read of spectacular murals in some ruins to the north of Puebla. When it was time to depart for home, we decided to visit them on our way. The photo above is a detail from a large mural in the Red Temple at ancient Cacaxtla (pronounced Ka-kash-tla). This ancient complex of temples and palaces is only a short distance across a ravine from the ruins of Xochitécatl (see Part 13 of my Puebla series). For a Google map of Cacaxtla, click here.

The Nahuatl word Cacaxtla means "place of the merchant's pack". The site was named after the scene in the mural above. The figure shown is a rich merchant who may, or may not, be a god. That he is a merchant can be seen by the pack leaning behind him on what is apparently his walking stick. He wears a cloak made from a bear skin with the head still attached as kind of a hood. His nose and the top half of his face are painted green. That he is rich can be seen in his adornments, including earrings, a necklace with a large pendant, and bracelets. These are all apparently of green jade, a very precious substance in ancient Mesoamerica. Strapped to the frame of his backpack are various objects of trade including a plant in a pot. The blue-green color used in this and other murals is called Maya blue, one of a number of indications of heavy Maya influence on Cacaxtla.

Overview of the Cacaxtla site

Artist's conception of ancient Cacaxtla. The complex sits on top of a volcanic knob, one of two on the crest of a mountain surrounded by lush valleys. The other knob contains the much-older Xochitécatl, about 1 kilometer (.62 mi.) away. Cacaxtla is built upon a platform 200 meters long (656 ft.) and 25 meters high (82 ft.), called the Gran Basamento.The north end of the complex is on the upper right of the photo. The original main entrance was the great stairway located in the middle of the east side. It gave access to the broad plaza in the center of the complex. There are structures to the north, south, and west of the plaza containing temples, living quarters and administrative areas. The site pictured above is the only part of Cacaxtla to be completely excavated. Much more remains unexcavated in the area surrounding the top of the volcanic knob on which it sits.

Cacaxtla today is protected by a huge metal roof. Without the roof, the murals would soon deteriorate and the world would lose a treasure. Although archaeologists did some initial work in the 1940s, real excavation was not begun until after looters discovered the extensive murals in 1974 and word reached the government of a major discovery. Still, it was not until the 1980s that the Gran Basamento was excavated. All this delay means that the wonderful murals have been protected and kept on site instead of being moved to Mexico City or elsewhere as they might have been in earlier years.

Scale model of Cacaxtla, looking south. In the foreground, or north end, of the complex is the sunken plaza used for elite religious rituals. Immediately behind the sunken plaza is a row of truncated pillars that look like broken teeth. Out of sight below the pillars is a long mural with a series of battle scenes. On the right hand (west) side of the great plaza is a temple which contains both Teotihuacan and Maya architectural styles, and two colorful murals on pillars. Just beyond the great plaza on the upper right is the Red Temple, containing the mural of the merchant seen in my first photo. The upper left area above the great plaza contains the Plaza of the Three Temples and the residential area for the priests and nobles who lived in the complex.

Sentinel pyramid, guarding the approach to Cacaxtla. The tractor in the foreground provides a sense of scale. There was no sign at this structure, so I dubbed it the Sentinel pyramid. This pyramid, and another unexcavated one just out of sight on the right, straddle the path leading to the grand staircase, Cacaxtla's main entrance. Along with these pyramids, there are a number of defensive structures and ditches around Cacaxtla. The city grew up in a time of great turmoil, immediately after the collapse of the Teotihuacan Empire in 600 AD. The disappearance of that great central authority allowed the emergence and growth of numerous smaller regional entities such as Cacaxtla, but also meant there would be intense conflict among them.

View of Volcan Popocatépatl to the west. The rolling volcanic knobs give way to a broad, flat, lush valley. In the distance, with its peak shrouded in clouds, the active Popocatépatl volcano broods, quiet for the moment. The people who settled Cacaxtla were Olmeca-Xicalancas who moved there from the Maya area of the southern Gulf Coast. This is one reason for the strong Maya influences at Cacaxtla. The Olmeca-Xicalancas also moved into the Cholula area around that time, and they may have had a hand in the fall of that great city in 650 AD. From around 650 AD to about 900 AD, Cacaxtla was the power that ruled the Puebla-Tlaxcala Valley area. That the people saw their domain as the product of the desperate conflicts of their time can be seen in the great battle murals in their capital. In the end, Cacaxtla itself fell to the Toltecs around 900 AD. Those grim militarists launched their armies from their capital at Tollan (Tula), not far to the northwest and, by conquering cities like Cacaxtla, built another of Mesoamerica's long succession of great empires.

Plaza of the Three Pyramids

View from the top of the temple on the north end, looking south. A sense of scale can be gained from the line of people in the background. After the Toltec conquest, Cacaxtla lingered on for a time, but by 1000 AD the site was abandoned and all the glory and power that was Cacaxtla disappeared under tangles of vegetation. The mists of prehispanic history closed over the site and its rediscovery would have to wait almost another 1000 years.

Bedoom in "The Palace". Modern people would not consider the rooms large, but the thick walls would have meant warmth in the winter and coolness in summer. Notice the raised sleeping platform in the corner of the room. Another reason for the rooms' small size is that Mexico's climate in this area allowed people living at Cacaxtla to spend most of their days outside in the public areas like the plaza.

The faces of Cacaxtla. This collection of carved stone heads starts with that of a child in the upper left, then a boy in the upper right, with an adult male on the lower right and an old man on the lower left. I found it extraordinary to look upon these faces and consider that they might have been modeled from actual people in that long-ago time.

Even mundane details can provide interesting insights. The groove carved in the floor above was a water channel in The Palace. It leads to a covered drain. A system of channels and drains allowed rain water to run off and be collected efficiently. Since the ruins are on top of a mountain, it must have been important to collect any available water. It would have taken considerable effort to bring it up from the valley below.

Jade relief carving. The man pictured wears an elaborate head dress, earrings and a necklace. He is bare-chested and has somewhat of a pot belly. A loin cloth hangs between his legs. Something about this little object tweaked by memory. I later looked back through my photographs from Tollan, the Toltec capital. There I found a similar jade carving, showing a similarly dressed man in much the same posture. Was the object above brought to Cacaxtla by the Toltecs during or after their conquest? Perhaps the carving I saw in Tollan arrived there as an item of trade prior to Cacaxtla's fall? Maybe both items originated from some unknown third source? They seem too similar for there not to be a connection. I guess it's just another of ancient Mexico's little mysteries.

Some of the many stumps of pillars found throughout the complex. The pillars lined a sunken courtyard next to The Palace. Notice the plaster remaining on the stumps, still covered by the original red paint. A consistent color scheme is found all over Cacaxtla, with of red bands along the bottoms of pillars and walls, topped by white paint above, .

Lifelike human torso. This statue is of a man wearing fine clothing, including an elaborate collar around his neck. He also has a rather unusual belt and appears to be wearing shorts. The realistic portrayal of the human form is a striking aspect of Cacaxtla sculpture. Many cultures, such as the Toltecs and Aztecs used very stylized forms, appearing in the same postures again and again. Perhaps it was the Maya influence on Cacaxtla that brought about the realism in its sculpture. Maya sculpture is among the most exquisitely realistic in all Mesoamerica.

The sunken courtyard next to The Palace. This was a place for rituals, as can be seen by the small altar in the lower left of the photo. The use of the pit in the stone floor just behind it was unclear. Perhaps it was for ritual fires. The stairway in the background leads up into a temple.

Governor's Rooms

The Red Temple was part of an administrative area. The most striking discovery here was the mural seen in the upper left of the photo. The first photo of this posting is a detail of this mural. This part of the complex is still being restored by archaeologists, as you can see by the wooden forms they have erected to protect the area.

Perhaps the ruler himself? This figure was clearly a person of great significance. He wears a gorgeously feathered head dress, with an embroidered collar and a tunic that extends to his knees. On his feet are sandals that extend up to mid-calf. In his left hand he holds what may be a purse or (in modern terms) a briefcase. Once again, lacking an explanatory sign, I was left to speculate.

Mural of the merchant in the Red Temple. The representation of the merchant in the Red Temple is significant. The fall of both Teotihuacan and Cholula left Cacaxtla occupying one of the most strategic geographic locations in Mesoamerica. It was astride the trade routes from the Maya regions of the southern coast, as well as from Tajin, the newly emergent power in the northern coastal area. Trade from the Zapotec and Mixtec areas around Oaxaca also passed through here as well from the altiplano, or high plateau country, to the north. Merchants might carry conch shells from the Gulf Coast to be used as musical instruments, or bird feathers as well as live birds and other animals from the jungles of the Yucatan. Jade and obsidian were widely prized and were also light and compact and thus easy to carry. Such merchants were carriers of culture as well as goods. Cacaxtla thus became a crossroad of cultures, and this can be seen in its variety architectural elements.

The left portion of the merchant's mural. Maize (corn) was essential to the food economy of Mesocamerica. As such, it occupied a central place in the ancients' religious mythology. The Hero Twins, the most important figures in the Maya creation myth, were closely associated with maize. The plants shown above include not only maize, but also cacao, from which chocolate is made. Chocolate was an important ritual drink and was usually restricted to the elites. Notice the lizard climbing up the border of the mural, and the birds flocking in the plants. The mural is full of such exquisite little details. The colors on this mural are amazingly vivid after so many centuries.

West side of Cacaxtla

A feature called the Latticework adorns the west side of the complex. This feature is clearly Maya in origin. However, the exterior of the room contains the tablera and talud style typical of Teotihuacan. Even though Cacaxtla and the other regional powers only emerged because of the fall of Teotihuacan, that great empire was remembered with respect and even awe for centuries afterward.

Stuccoed wall relief on the west side of the complex. This relief carving is of unbaked clay over stucco. All that remains of this relief are the lower body and feet of the person originally portrayed. The lower legs are covered by a garment on which the weaving is intricately displayed. Sprouts of maize and cacao grow up between the toes of the sandaled feet.

More painted pillars line the west side of Cacaxtla. The rectangular framing on the side of the pillars is a Teotihuacan style. This is another example of dominant color scheme. A red base with white paint above is the style seen throughout the site.

Ancient tools held a mystery for me. These devices seemed to be tools, but for what purpose? Like so many other strange objects I have encountered in Mexico's museums, there was no sign to explain them. Then I compared them to a photo from the west side of Cacaxtla.

The strong residual influence of Teotihuacan is clearly displayed here. The vertical rectangular panel, with a sloping wall underneath, can be found nearly everywhere Teotihuacan's influence touched. The small circular objects bordering the rectangle on the right are called chalchihuetes (jewels). In the panel above, these were made out of stucco. The tools in the previous photo seem perfectly suited to form chalchihuetes like these. Mystery solved? Perhaps.

This completes Part 14 of my Puebla series. My final part (at last, you say!) will show the remainder of Cacaxtla, including the famous battle murals. I hope you have been enjoying this series. I found Puebla and these ruins an absolute delight. If you ever have a chance to visit, you should definitely try. If you would like to comment on this or any other of my blog postings, please either do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email so that I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 13: The hilltop citadel of Xochitécatl

2011-12-07T12:46:00.001-06:00

Pyramid of the Flowers, Xochitécatl. You are viewing a telephoto shot of the pyramid's east (back) side as seen from its nearby sister ruin, Cacaxtla. The two ruins are less than an hour's drive northwest of Puebla, not far from the intersection of the #190D cuota (toll road) between Mexico City and Puebla, and the new Arco Norte cuota. Carole and I visited the ruins on our way back from Puebla to our home in Ajijic, on Lake Chapala, in Jalisco State. The ruins, located in Mexico's smallest state, Tlaxcala, sit on the tops of twin volcanic knobs at the crest of a mountain surrounded by a vast, lush valley. There is a stunning 360 degree vista. The two knobs are about 1 km (.62 mile) apart, separated by a shallow ravine thickly covered by vegetation and small, intensively-cultivated fields. Although we stopped at Cacaxtla first before visiting Xochitécatl, I decided to reverse the order of presentation because Xochitécatl is by far the oldest of the two. In my next two postings, I will focus on Cacaxtla and its temples and palaces filled with gorgeously painted murals. For a Google map of the sites, click here.

Overview

Site map of Xochitécatl. It is not a large or extensive site, as you can see, but it is well worth visiting. Both Carole and I were struck by a sense of its great antiquity. It is definitely the oldest prehispanic site we have visited in Mexico. Four major structures are grouped on a broad, leveled-off space on top of the volcanic knob. A long, winding road to the site takes you to a parking area and a set of steps leading to a small museum, some of the artifacts of which I am including. Just beyond the museum you encounter the Spiral Pyramid, identified by the red arrow above. At the south side (bottom) of the map is the Serpent Temple. Located on the east side is the large Pyramid of the Flowers, seen in the first photo of this posting. Between the Spiral and Flower pyramids is a low rectangular structure known as the Platform of the Volcanos. No ruins of habitations have been found in this site, leading archaeologists to believe it served a purely ritual function. The people would have lived in the fertile valley surrounding the volcanic knobs.

Clay figure of a woman, Xochitécatl museum. Although small, the museum has a large number of artifacts, both inside and in the small plaza outside. Some were labeled, but many were not, so some of my comments about them are just educated speculation. The female above, well dressed in a flowing shawl, a long skirt, and an extensive head dress, probably represents a woman of some importance. There are many representations of women among the museum's artifacts. Many of these pieces were used in fertility rites. Figures like the one above help us understand how the people saw themselves at a particular time. The word Xochitécatl is Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. It means "home of the flower lineage", and is pronounced "So-shee-tek-atl." The site was built more than 1500 years before the Aztecs arrived in the area, and what the original inhabitants called it is unknown. The Pyramid of Flowers, Serpent Temple, and Spiral Pyramid all date back to the Middle Preclassic era (800 BC - 300 BC), making early Xochitécatl contemporary with the Olmec Civilization, the "Mother of Cultures." Except for one significant gap in time, people used the site from then until around 950 AD, when the Classic era civilizations all over Mesoamerica collapsed. Between 150 AD and 600 AD, the site was abandoned because of the eruption of the nearby, and still-active, Popocatépetl volcano. The volcanos Iztaccihuatl and La Malinche are also visible from the site. Between 600 AD and 950 AD, the ruins were reoccupied by the people of Cacaxtla as a subsidiary ceremonial site. During this period, the Platform of the Volcanos was constructed and the Pyramid of Flowers was used for the ritual sacrifice of children. Even though Xochitécatl was abandoned again about 950 AD, there is evidence that ritual activity continued well into the Spanish Colonial period, and may continue even today. Major archaeological work did not occur until very recently, in 1993-94.

The Spiral Pyramid

The Spiral Pyramid sits on the extreme west side of the leveled-off volcanic knob. On its top sits a Christian cross, erected in 1632, about 110 years after the Conquest. It was the practice of Spanish civil and religious authorities to plant crosses, or even erect churches, on top of indigenous temples. Their message was clear: "we're on top now." My sources vary on the time when the pyramid was erected, one saying 700 BC and another 300 BC. In either case, it is very old, pre-dating not only the Aztecs, but also the Toltecs, and even the great civilization of Teotihuacan.

The spiraling levels of the pyramid are unique. To the best of my knowledge, this is the only spiral pyramid in the entire area of Mesoamerica. There are 10 tiers to the structure, which is built from boulders and tiles. The interior does not contain other structures or previous pyramids but is entirely filled with volcanic ash. Since no steps have been found, it is believed that access to the top was by following the spirals in a priest-led procession that must have been quite spectacular.

Ritual figure found at Xochitécatl. Figures like this may have been used in the rituals held on top of the Spiral Pyramid. The figure is nude and, although it doesn't possess genitals, it does appear to have a navel. Note the extensive head dress, probably representing feathers. Two human burials were discovered inside the structure of the Spiral Pyramid.

The flat, grassy top of the pyramid provides a spectacular view. Since the Spiral Pyramid sits on the edge of the plateau, the ground to the west drops sharply down the mountain. Standing here, you are provided with a 360 degree view of the valley and the volcanos in the distance. Archaeologists believe that the structure functioned either as an astronomical observatory or for the worship of Ehecatl, the god of wind. The top of the Spiral Pyramid was certainly breezy the day we visited.

The Serpent Temple

The Temple of the Serpent. The building is rectangular, and built with 4 stepped tiers. The overall structure was constructed in 3 successive stages. My sources differ again, placing its erection in either 700 BC or 300 BC. It is constructed of riverbed stones, which would have had to be hauled up a considerable distance from the valley below.

Serpent's head, found at the temple. This sculpture gave the temple its name. It was found along with two other sculptures in a large, hand-carved, stone basin on the top level. The other two sculptures represented a jaguar-man, and another man with a sceptre. All of them were in post-Olmec style. The Olmec civilization ended about 400 BC, but its influence continued to reverberate through Mesoamerica for another 1500 years until the arrival of the Spanish.

West side of the Serpent's Temple, showing the 4 stepped tiers. The total dimensions of the temple are 80 meters (262.5 ft. ) by 50 meters (164 ft.). A room was discovered along this side of the temple containing large amounts of worked obsidian, including cores, chippings, knives, projectile points, and scrapers. Bone tools and antlers were also found. Apparently this part of the temple was used as a workshop. Ceramic remains date the workshop to the late Preclassic period (350 BC-100 AD).

"I'm the man!" This small figure stands with arms extended and thumbs up, pointing toward himself. It seems like a rather triumphant posture, although this might merely be my modern interpretation. Otherwise nude, he wears a necklace, large spool earrings, and a flat hat of some kind.

The sole entry point to the Serpent Temple was from the north side. The ramp seen above is a modern construction. Archaeologists believe the temple was used in rites related to water. The view here is from the plaza in front of the Pyramid of the Flowers looking southwest. In the background, the peak of Popocatépetl is shrouded with clouds.

Platform of the Volcanos

Steps on the west side of the Platform of the Volcanos. The Platform is believed to be the base of a building that has now disappeared. The structure is 50 meters (164 ft.) long and 35 meters (114 ft.) wide. The Teotihuacan Empire fell in 600 AD, but its influence was still powerful in 750 AD when the platform was built. An example of this can be seen in the wall that extends down vertically to a sloping panel, called a talud, a characteristic of Teotihuacan architecture. In addition, the orientation of the platform is 16 degrees from magnetic north, similar to that of buildings at Teotihuacan. The builders were the neighboring people of Cacaxtla, who constructed their city long after Xochitépetl was abandoned due to Popocatépetl's eruption in 150 AD. Needing more ceremonial space, and no doubt impressed by the antiquity of the ruin across the ravine, the Cacaxtla people cleaned up the area, built the Platform of Volcanos on the remains of a previous structure, and began using it for religious rites.

Figure seated on a throne may have presided over rites at the Platform of Volcanos. The figure is richly dressed and may be a ruler or chief priest. Notice his elaborate head dress and the fine sandal he wears on his left foot (the only one remaining). The slitted eyes are another characteristic feature of the Teotihuacan style.

Female heads of fertility offerings. More than 200 such female figures were found at the platform in the 1960s by German archaeologist Bodo Spranz. A figurine representing the female goddess Tlazolteotl was one of those found. She was the goddess responsible for purification from sins, particularly those of a sexual nature. This provides an interesting connection to all the fertility figures. In addition, evidence of the burial of human infants was discovered in the upper section of the platform. The sacrifice of infants is known to have been conducted at this time in Xochitécatl. The overall placement of the Platform of the Volcanos in the center of the large plaza formed by the Spiral Pyramid, the Serpent Temple, and the Pyramid of Flowers indicates that it was a ritual site of great importance.

The Monolithic Basins

Two large Monolithic Basins are located immediately in front of the Pyramid of Flowers. Their function was to hold water, a liquid considered essential to fertility. The one above is buried to ground level, the other sits on top of the ground. It is believe that children and infants destined for sacrifice were first washed in these basins before ascending the steps to their fate.

Disfigured stone face found in one of the Monolithic Basins. There were 4 stone sculptures found in the basin, including this one. People born with disfigured faces were often considered holy in these early societies. Other stone artifacts found in the basin include a toad, a serpent, and another with the face of a human corpse.

A human face emerges from the mouth of a serpent. This was one of the stone sculptures found in the basin. Serpents were potent symbols in Mesoamerica, often associated with Quetzalcoatl, the creator god. On the back of the Temple of Warriors at Tollan, the Toltec capital, there is a wall covered with relief carvings of skeletal figures emerging from snake mouths.

Flower petals float in the Monolithic Basin. The area near the basin contained no plants that might produce such flowers, and I came to the conclusion that these were deliberately deposited by someone as an act of reverence. If true, the ancient religions show remarkable resilience. In fact, a very large number of people living in Tlaxcala and Puebla States still speak Nahuatl as their first language. Local festivals still feature dances and other rituals that are traceable to prehispanic times.

Pyramid of the Flowers

Pyramid of the Flowers seen from the west side of the plaza. The pyramid is quite large, measuring 100 meters (328 ft.) by 140 meters (459 ft.), similar in size to the Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan. However, it does not stand as high as its Teotihuacan counterpart. That such a small site should possess such a large pyramid is remarkable. The structure was constructred with 8 tiers using riverbed stones, blocks cut from the bedrock and tiles. It must have been an immense job to drag all that up to the top of this mountain.

Infant in cradle was one of many in the museum. I found more than a dozen of these figures in the Xochitécatl museum. More than 2000 clay figures and 15 stone sculptures were found on the great stairway that leads up to the top of the pyramid. A very large proportion of the figures represented females, from infancy through old age. They include pregnant women, some of whom are shown with abdomens split open which contain richly dressed babies inside. The heavy emphasis on women and children indicates that fertility was the focus of this pyramid, particularly in its later period.

View of the south side of the pyramid. This photo was taken from the top of the Serpent's Temple. It clearly shows the multiple platforms that make up the Pyramid of the Flowers. The edge of the east side of the plateau is just behind the pyramid.

The great staircase, looking down from the top. Carole, standing in the upper left of the photo, provides a sense of scale.The two Monolithic Basins sit right at the base of the stairs. The children to be sacrificed would be ritually washed there, and then, with great ceremony, brought up to the top level. I can't imagine what must have been going through their minds, and the minds of their parents.

Obsidian blades and 2 jade objects. Excavations at the pyramid also revealed that there was a large obsidian workshop located there, in addition to the one at the Serpent's Temple. I found no mention of how the children were actually killed, but many Mesoamerican societies used obsidian blades like these for human sacrifices. Obsidian is volcanic glass and very hard. It can be brought to a sharpness equivalent to a modern surgical scalpel. Buried in the top level of the pyramid were the remains of more than 30 children and one adult. The children had beads of jade placed in their mouths, apparently to ease their journey into the underworld.

The Pyramid of the Flowers has its own version of Stone Henge. The top of the pyramid is a large, flat, grassy rectangle. Near the head of the staircase are the remains of a structure a bit like that found at pre-historic Stone Henge in England. The 2 upright stones are crowned with a stone lintel. The fallen stones lying about indicate that the structure above was one of a series that enclosed an area. Astronomical observations from the top of the pyramid reveal that from this point every September 29th, the sun appears to rise from the mouth of the La Malinche volcano.

View from the top of the Pyramid of the Flowers, looking east. The ground drops away steeply on the back side of the pyramid. Below is the ravine separating Xochitécatl from Cacaxtla. The land that isn't forested is intensively cultivated in small fields, as it would have been in ancient times. The Cacaxtla ruin is covered by the structure seen on top of the hill in the upper right of the photo.

This completes Part 13 of my Puebla series. In the next two postings, I will show Cacaxtla, with its dramatic and colorful murals, painted on the walls of temples and palaces unearthed only recently. If you enjoyed this posting, I invite you to comment, either directly by email or in the Comments section below.

If you leave a question in the Comments section PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 12: Puebla's open-air markets

2011-11-26T21:03:00.000-06:00

Puebla abounds with open-air markets. Carole and I differ as shoppers. She has a very utilitarian approach and seldom shops unless she is looking for something specific, and never buys unless it is at just the right price. I, on the other hand, enjoy browsing, particularly in places displaying unusual goods. I don't necessarily intend to buy anything, I just enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of these places. I particularly fancy them as subjects for my photography, with all their color, movement and variety. In Puebla there are multiple opportunities to experience these open air mercados (markets). Some are temporary affairs, only held on particular days of the week. Others are semi-permanent, like the one above where vendors set up canopies and booths every day along the same stretch of sidewalk. Still others are permanent markets with concrete stalls consistently occupied by the same vendors. The sites of some of the permanent mercados have been used for that purpose for hundreds of years. In this posting, we'll look at mercados within all these categories.

Barrio del Artista

Statue at the north end of the Artists' Neighborhood. The center of the Barrio del Artista (Artists' Neighborhood) is one of Puebla's pedestrian-only streets. The north end begins with this lovely statue of nudes peering into the distance. Mexico possesses an astonishing amount and variety of public art, freely accessible to all.

Artists' cubbyholes are combination studios and sales rooms. The area was once the site of textile mills, but in 1941 it was renovated. Fortunately, the architects appreciated the colonial aspects of the area and retained them. One of the most interesting features of this street is the long row of tiny artists' studios. Each of the doors seen above leads into a space not much bigger than a large walk-in closet. In them, the artists paint or sculpt, and meet with customers. Open-air concerts and performances are sometimes hosted in the area in front of the studios.

Opposite the artists cubbyholes are shady sidewalk cafés and restaurants. On this side of the street are galleries and sidewalk cafés, shaded by huge old ficus trees. Barrio del Artista is a great place to while away a warm afternoon, browsing the art studios and people-watching.

Students enjoy lunch at a Barrio Artista café. We stopped at this small café to sample the local fare. Soon, the two students above grabbed a table across from us where they could munch on the inexpensive food and ogle the pretty poblanas (girls of Puebla) walking by. The sign in back of the student on the left advertises Exquisitos Chiles en Nogada. This dish is one for which Puebla has become famous and consists of chiles stuffed with pork, onion, and garlic, covered in nogada (walnut sauce), and sprinkled with pomegranate seeds. Chiles en Nogada was invented by the people of Puebla to honor the saint's day (August 28, 1821) of Agustin de Iturbide. He was a Royalist army officer who defected to the insurgent cause near the end of the War of Independence. He was considered a hero at this point, and the Poblanos held a feast for him. All the dishes were in the colors of the new Mexican flag: green (chiles), white (walnut sauce), and red (pomegranate seeds). All this apparently went to Iturbide's head. He proclaimed himself Emperor of Mexico, but he was soon deposed and a republic established. The popularity of Chiles en Nogada has outlasted that of Iturbide by almost 200 years.

Angel of Death beckons. While lunching at the café, we noticed this ominous, black-clad figure standing across the street. On his back were large, black-feathered wings. Most of the time he remained motionless, but occasionally people would approach him and he would engage in a rather obscure ritual. We were intrigued and I decided that some photos were in order.

Carole takes her chances. I enticed Carole into engaging the Angel to see what would happen. The routine involved dropping a few coins at his feet, at which point he came to life. With a sweeping gesture, he silently offered a tiny strip of paper from an old cigar box. The paper contained a sort of fortune, but not the bland kind one finds in a Chinese restaurant. It was an eloquent quote from a famous Mexican poet. Unfortunately, we misplaced the paper and I don't remember what it said. However, the encounter itself was certainly memorable.

Mercado Jardin Analco

Flower stall at Mercado Jardin Analco. Above is a scene from the fresh flower section. Mexicans love flowers of all sorts, and there were many varieties available. This mercado is held every Sunday in Jardin Analco, a park on the eastern fringes of the Centro Historico. It is similar to the open-air tianguis familiar to those who live in Mexico, but is quite a bit larger than most I have visited, and easily 5 times as large as the one held on Wednesdays in Ajijic, where I live. The word tianguis (tee-an-geese) comes from tianquiztli in the Nahuatl language of the Aztecs. It means "market day" or "harvest." The roots of the tianguis go far back into prehispanic history and their ruins have been found in Chichen Itza and other ancient sites. To locate Jardin Analco on a map of Puebla, click here.

Masks, warriors, and talavera plates. You can usually find almost anything you want in a tianguis. However, what is offered is generally oriented to the sort of customers the vendors expect. The ones at this market know that Puebla's Centro Historico is a tourist magnet, so they offer various handicrafts as well as more prosaic fare. This stall offered carved wooden masks, small statues of conquistadors and Aztec warriors in combat, and brightly painted talavera plates.

Home decorations in riotous color. An indigenous vender pokes around in the back of her stall, searching for the item a customer has requested. The barrio, or neighborhood, in which Jardin Analco is located has an interesting history. Puebla was a city constructed from the ground up by the Spanish, and had no prehispanic history. Nearby Cholula, however, was one of Mesoamerica's greatest and most ancient cities. In 1531, the conquistadors recruited workers from Cholula to build their new city, and gave them the Barrio Analco to live in while the work progressed. The Cholulans divided the neighborhood into sub-units called calpullis according to their clan affiliations. Later, the Spanish brought in workers from Tlaxcala to help, and these took over some of the former Cholulan clan areas. The barrio still retains a geographic layout that reflects these early arrangements.

Mercado Jardin Analco offers necessities as well as knick-knacks. As I mentioned, you can get almost anything you want at a mercado. Right next to fine craftwork, I found a huge pile of individually wrapped toilet paper rolls. This rather casual display was pretty much the entirety of this vendor's merchandise.

Dressed in her Sunday best. A pretty poblana proudly displays her Chihuahua. The little dog is dressed, as my south-Texas-cowboy father used to say, in "Sunday-go-to-meetin' clothes." It was a bright day, so perhaps the dog was grateful for the shade her bonnet provided. Or not. Chihuahuas are enormously popular in Mexico, and there is evidence that the breed may have originated here. The Toltecs of the 9th Century AD kept dogs called techichis who may have been the progenitors of today's Chichuahuas. Dogs resembling Chihuahuas also appear on artifacts found in the ruins of ancient Cholula and at Chichen Itza, both of which have connections to the earlier Toltecs.

El Parian

El Parian specializes in clothing, crockery, and crafts. In contrast to the Analco market, el Parian is permanent, open daily, and almost exclusively sells tourist-oriented crafts. The vendors keep the same stalls on a long-term basis. The term "parian" comes from the Philippines. The word means "market", and was used throughout colonial Nueva España to describe a meeting place for commerce and trade. Spain first visited the Philippines in 1521, claiming it for the Spanish King but not building any settlements until 1565.

Talavera pottery is everywhere. The vivid, intricate painting that is typical of talavera pottery can be seen above. You can purchase pottery like this in scores--perhaps hundreds--of locations in Puebla. The first parian was located at Plazuela San Roque, a plaza which has since disappeared. Then in 1796, Mayor Don Antonio Flon established a site for el Parian in the area which later became Barrio del Artista. In 1941, el Parian was moved just south of Barrio del Artista where it has remained ever since.

Plaza de los Sapos

Charming little toad fountain is the emblem of this plaza. Sapo is Spanish for toad, thus the name of this little mercado is Plaza de los Sapos. The San Francisco river used to run close by here, and the river banks were full of toads. Later the river was re-channeled, but the memory of the toads remains enshrined in the name. At Plaza de los Sapos permanent antique stores and galleries around the perimeter share space with temporary stalls set up by crafts vendors in the plaza itself.

Galeria Tierra Verde is covered with very old talavera tiles. The talavera tiles seen above are of a very old style, indicating that the structure containing this gallery is early colonial, as are most of the other buildings along both sides of the plaza.

Antique shop is packed with fascinating old objects. I love old things, as you may have guessed by now if you are a follower of my blog. Antique shops can be even better than museums, assuming they contain real antiques and not just overpriced junk. At such a shop you can actually pick up and handle the objects, and come physically in contact with history. This shop was closed, but I was able to take the photo through the barred gate. Most of the objects seem to be colonial-era and many are religious in nature, such as the angel and the monk seen at the lower right. The antique shop was one of several at Plaza de los Sapos.

Baptismal font was one of the many antiques for sale. This large, carved-stone baptismal font was on sale for the US equivalent of several hundred dollars. I couldn't help but wonder about the babies baptized in it, who they became, and what role they played in Nueva España.

Mercado La Victoria

Mercado la Victoria lies at the end of Calle 6 Oriente. The far end of 6 Oriente is crossed like a "T" by Calle 5 de Mayo. Seen at the head of the T is the entrance of Mercado la Victoria, which stretches back a whole block. At the other end, Calle 6 Poniente begins. Calle 6 Oriente is known locally at the Street of the Revolution, because the Casa Achilles Serdán is located on the right-hand side, about 1/2 way down to the mercado. The house is now a museum dedicated to the Mexican Revolution. The shooting part of the Revolution began with an assault by police and soldiers on the home of Achilles Serdán. He and his brothers were part of the underground movement organized to support Francisco Madero in his effort to oust the dictator Porfirio Diaz. The Serdán brothers were killed to a man and are today heros of the Revolution.

The central atrium of Mercado La Victoria is covered by a stained glass ceiling. Above, a young woman walks by a candy stand with a cell phone glued to her ear. Cell phones, for better or worse, are ubiquitous in Mexico, as they are in many other countries. The mercado was built in 1914 on property that used to be the garden of the Convento Santo Domingo, located next door (see Puebla Part 11). Designed in the French style with glass and steel, la Victoria soon became the most important mercado in Puebla. Eventually security and sanitation became a problem. Finally, in 1986, the mercado was closed for renovation. In 1994, it reopened and seems to have become very popular with poblanos of all ages.

This completes Part 12 of my Puebla series. The next two postings will feature two ancient sites named Cacaxtla and Xochitepetl, which lie about one hour north of Puebla. Creating this posting was a lot of fun for me and hope you have enjoyed it. If you would like to comment, please do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 11: Convent of Santo Domingo & its fantastic Baroque-style Capilla del Rosario

2011-11-21T10:33:00.000-06:00

Retablo behind the main altar of the Church of Santo Domingo. This old Dominican monastery is one of the must-see places in Puebla. Much of the monastery, or convento, was expropriated during the period of the Reform War in the 1850s. However, the church and its Baroque-style Capilla de Rosario (Chapel of the Rosary) were so spectacular in their time that they were once considered the 8th Wonder of the World. There are many beautiful old colonial churches in Puebla, and I could use weeks of postings to show them all. However, I will settle on this one as the finest example of Baroque architecture in Puebla, and probably in Mexico.

Calle Cinco de Mayo runs along the east side of the church. This is one of several lovely pedestrian-only streets in Puebla. The church is behind the iron fence on the right. Notice the man with the crutch. I see many people in Mexico with missing limbs who don't possess prostheses, probably due to the cost. Convento Santo Domingo is located about 2.5 blocks north of the Zócalo on Calle Cinco de Mayo (5th of May Street). For a map showing the area, click here. The complex is open daily from 7:30 AM to 2 PM and again from 4 PM to 10 PM. On Saturday and Sunday, it is open from 10 AM to 12 Noon and 4 PM to 6 PM. There is no admission fee.

Market day at the church plaza. On the day we visited, there were a number of crafts booths in the plaza area that forms part of the property. In the background you can see the dome that covers the Capilla del Rosario. The church of Santo Domingo was begun by architect Francisco Becerra in 1571 and finally finished (not by him, of course) in 1659.

Closeup of the Capilla's dome. The dome is in the shape of the crown of the Virgen del Rosario. The Dominicans were among the first of the Friars to arrive in Mexico after the Conquest. The Order was founded in 1216 AD by Spanish Friar Domingo de Guzman. The Dominicans were known for the opulence of their temples and conventos, and they firmly opposed the constitutional changes sought by Mexico's President Benito Juarez. These included seizure of much of the vast church properties in Mexico, and the establishment of secular education. Juarez' efforts set off the Reform War of 1855. When he won, the losers invited the French to invade in 1862 and install Austrian Duke Maximilian as Emperor. The French were finally ousted in 1867, Maximilian was executed, and the Dominicans and other elements of the Catholic Church lost their economic stranglehold on Mexico. While the Santo Domingo property is still large today, before expropriation the Convento complex stretched for several blocks.

Grey cantera stone gives the entrance a rather stern aspect, masking the splendor within. The Mannerist-style entrance has three tiers of doric columns. The bottom two tiers have 4 pairs of columns each, while the top tier has 2 pairs. Between the pairs of columns on the top is an image of San Miguel, a patron saint of the church. Above San Miguel on either side are two dogs with torches in their mouths, along with two others just above the main door. The dogs are heraldic emblems of San Miguel, who is also knowns as "the Archangel". Oddly, St. Michael is considered holy not only by Christians, but also Jews and Muslims. Catholics identify him as the leader of God's armies, so he had a special appeal for the Spanish Catholics who conquered New Spain with much blood and fire.

White and lacy, this area contrasted wonderfully with the grey cantera. As I approached the main entrance, I happened to glance to the upper part of the wall on the right and saw this delicate plaster work. It somewhat resembles the work on the Casa del Alfeñique (Meringue House) I showed in Part 3 of this Puebla series.

Soaring main nave leads to the intricate retablo behind the main altar. The windows at the top of each wall flood the ceiling and lower parts of this nave with soft light, illuminating the painting and gold leaf work. Without the windows, much of the beauty would be lost in gloom. Since no flashes are allowed, I would have had a terrible time photographing the interior.

Retablo behind the capilla altar to the right of the main altar. This retablo is made of intricately carved wood covered by gold leaf. The Spanish word retablo means "board behind" in this case behind an altar. Retablos typically contain images, either flat paintings or statues, and both are used above. Typical images may of Jesus, the Virgin Mary, or one of the almost countless Catholic saints.

Retablo in the nook to the left of the main altar. Everywhere I turned in Santo Domingo, I seemed to run into another fantastically elaborate retablo. The purpose of a retablo's images is to allow a personal connection between the worshiper and a holy figure. Such a connection was especially necessary in New Spain because of the need to evangelize the vast numbers of only-recently-conquered indigenous people. As impressive as the main church was, with its many retablos, the main attraction was still ahead.

Entrance to the Capilla del Rosario. The entrance is just to the left of the main altar. The Capilla was built between 1650 and 1690, at the height of the Baroque architecture movement in Mexico. The Capilla is packed with symbolism. The three main themes are the mysteries of the rosary, its virtues, and the Virgin Mary herself.

Upper view of the Capilla del Rosario. The visual impact of the Capilla is overwhelming. One simply does not know where to focus, and I found it difficult at first to take photos. Where to start? This photo is of the upper part of the chapel, looking toward the altar.

Lower view of the Capilla del Rosario. Here, I captured the lower part of the same view as the previous photo. The walls are covered by huge paintings of scenes related to the rosary. The paintings are separated and framed by intricate carvings and plaster work, covered with gold leaf. As you can see, the dimensions of the Capilla are not large, but he cumulative effect of its decorations certainly are.

Inside of Capilla del Rosario dome. This photo shows the inside of the dome seen in photos 3 and 4 of this posting. Every inch of its surface writhes with gold leaf-covered scrolls and squiggles and other designs. I can only imagine its impact on an unsophisticated indigenous person. Of course, those who created the incredibly complex art work found in some prehispanic indigenous temples no doubt had the same impact in mind.

Ceiling of Capilla del Rosario. Everywhere one looks, in this case the ceiling, intricacy abounds. I half-imagined the architect and his workers consuming large quantities of hallucinogenic peyote before setting to work each day.

Ceiling detail of Capilla del Rosario. This detail from the ceiling should give you a sense of the intricacy of the work. The figure in the center is dressed as a Spanish nobleman of the early 17th Century. He holds a large cross. I would have loved to get up on the balcony you can see above, but that was not allowed.

Retablo behind the altar of the Virgen del Rosario. The retablo of the Virgin was almost overwhelmed by the Capilla around it. The Virgin is placed, like an exotic butterfly, in a glass case framed by corinthian-capped pillars. Above her are several more figures, including one on top who may be Jesus. I have found that figures of the Virgin are often more common, and more central, in Mexican Catholic churches than those of Jesus.

Virgen del Rosario, within her retablo. The Virgen del Rosario wears the crown from which the dome of her chapel is shaped. With her left arm, she holds the Baby Jesus, also crowned. She carries another child with her right arm. Her dress is adorned with roses, symbolizing the rosary. At the base of her dress is a crescent moon, which has both biblical and Aztec religious connotations. Catholic religious symbolism in Mexico often contains a subtext of prehispanic religious meanings. The focus on the Virgin of the Rosary (also known as the Virgin of Victory) began with a call by Pope Pius V for an annual feast to commemorate the Christian victory over the Muslim Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. The Mediterranean naval battle saved Italy from Ottoman invasion, and was the last battle ever fought completely by oar-powered galleys.

This completes Part 11 of my Puebla series. I hope you were as impressed by this extraordinary example of Baroque architecture as I was. If you would like to comment, please do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section PLEASE leave you email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 10: The colonial city of Cholula

2011-11-14T08:56:00.001-06:00

Cholula is a city of churches. I took this shot from the Zócalo, also called Plaza de la Concordia. Santuario de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios (Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Remedies) looms over the town from the top of the Great Pyramid of Cholula. For this posting, I will focus on Cholula as the Spanish found it, leading up to the modern period. For a sense of ancient, prehispanic Cholula, check out the last 3 posts. When the Spanish arrived, Cholula had been a major religious and mercantile center for almost 2 thousand years. There were 430 temples and approximately 40,000 homes in or surrounding the center of the city. In 1520, Cholula's population was 100,000, considerably larger than many European cities at that time. For example, London's population was 50,000, Rome 38,000, Lisbon 55,000, and Seville 60,000. Only a handful of European cities were larger, including Paris at 185,000, Naples 114,000, and Constantinople (Istanbul) at 200,000.

Volcan Popocatépetl looms over the city. This photo was taken from on top of the Great Pyramid, looking northwest. Popocatépetl, at 5,426 meters (17,802 ft.) is the second tallest peak in Mexico, and is an active volcano. Nearby Volcan Iztaccihuatl is the third tallest at 5,230 meters (17,159 ft). The existence of these and many other volcanos makes Mexico very prone to earthquakes. Mexico City (once the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán) lies on the other side of Popocatépetl, 84 kilometers (52 mi.) away. When Hernán Cortés and his conquistadors arrived, Cholula was a close ally of the Aztecs (known then as Mexicas). He and his small army were initially welcomed, but they suspected a trap set by Mexica Emperor Moctezuma. Accordingly, they bided their time until the local nobility gathered in one of the Cholula's enclosed plazas. Under Cortés orders, Spanish soldiers blocked off all the exits and then massacred everyone in the plaza, probably between 6,000-10,000 unarmed people. This literally decapitated the city's leadership and sent a terrifying signal to other cities in their path that any hint of resistance would be dealt with horrifically. While the Spanish later claimed they had detected a plot against them and acted in self-defense, their Cholula massacre created a pattern repeated in other indigenous cities in Mexico, Central America, and South America.

A church for every day of the year. Cortés recognized the importance of Cholula as one of Mesoamerica's greatest centers of indigenous religion. The Spanish, for religious but also political motives, felt the need to supplant the native religions with Christianity as soon as possible. Cortés decreed that there should be a Christian church built in Cholula for every day of the year, 365 in total. If possible, they were to be built on top of the soon-to-be-demolished ancient temples. In reality, only 159 churches and chapels were actually built. Still, that is quite a large number for the relatively small city Cholula became after epidemics in the early colonial era wiped out most of its population. The church above was photographed from the top of the Great Pyramid. There is another church visible in the upper left.

Yet another of Cholula's many religious edifices. Notice how it looks like a fortress, with high, thick, stone walls. Many of the early churches were built in this fashion because of numerous revolts by local indigenous people and raids by nomadic Chichimeca tribesmen during the first couple of centuries after the Conquest. The styles of the churches mirror the architectural eras in which they were built, from Gothic, to Renaissance, to Churrigueresque, to Neoclassical. The early churches were constructed by newly-converted indigenous craftsmen. Often they left ancient symbols representing the old gods hidden in their work. One of the earliest chapels, San Miguelito, was dedicated to the Archangel Michael. However, there was also a small demon carved in the interior of the church. While many came to venerate the archangel, after a while more came to pray to the demon, who could be asked for things Archangel Michael would never grant. Eventually, because of the growing popularity of the demon, church officials began to blame earthquakes and other local disasters on him. Finally, the images of both the archangel and the demon were taken away and have since disappeared.

Franciscan Monastery of San Gabriel dominates the Centro Historico. The photo above, taken from atop the Great Pyramid, shows Cholula's Centro Historico. The Monastery of San Gabriel is in the center of the picture. It was built in 1529 on top of the destroyed temple to Quetzalcoatl, the ancient creator-god. The complex we see today was begun in 1540, with the main church begun a decade later in 1549. The main purpose of the complex was evangelization, an urgent need in the early days when Spanish control was weakest. The first stone of the complex was laid by Martin de Hojacastro, Puebla's 3rd bishop.

Entrance to the Monastery of San Gabriel. The Monastery complex occupies the whole east side of the large Cholula Zócalo. Within the complex are numerous chapels and atriums. Overall, this is one of the largest Franciscan monasteries in Mexico. The pointed white structures that line the top of the wall surrounding the complex are called merlons.

The Gothic-style main church of the monastery. The Baroque-style bell tower was added after the church was built. The main entrance, seen above, was made from sandstone in Renaissance style.

The cloister area of the monastery. This is located just to the right of the main church and still houses about 15 Franciscan monks. This section also contains a library with 25,000 volumes published between the 16th and 19th Centuries, a joint project with the University of the Americas. The cloister section was built directly over the old temple of Quetzacoatl.

The main church shows the classic elements of a "fortress church". With its high walls topped with crenelated battlements, and high, second-story windows from which muskets or even cannon could be fired, the monastery provided a military as well as spiritual refuge.

A multi-domed building extends to the left of the main church. Today, this part of San Gabriel Monastery functions as a school. I had to take multiple photos to show even a part of this huge complex. I tried to imagine the old days of the late 16th and early 17th Centuries when evangelization was at its height. The area would have been thronged with Franciscans in their cassocks, hurrying on errands for the abbot or preparing for another mission to the wild Chichimecs of the north country.

Closeup of the San Gabriel monastery school. The multiple cupolas give the building a Moorish feeling. Classes had just let out and children were beginning to pour forth, exuberant at their release from classes on a beautiful sunny day.

The longest arcade in Latin America. Plazas with arcades lined with arched portales are common in Mexico. This one, which borders the entire west side of Cholula's huge Zócalo, is unusual because it is the longest of its kind in Latin America. The arcade is 170 meters (560 ft.) long, with 46 portales. Mexican plazas also typically contain a government building, whether it is the vast Palacio Nacional at Mexico City's famous Zócalo, or the tiny Delegacion next to the plaza in Ajijic where I live. Cholula is no different. The area just behind the arcade above is occupied by its government building. It is built on the ancient site of the Xiuhcalli (House of Turquoise), used by Cholula's prehispanic nobility as a council house.

The Zócalo, or Plaza de la Concorda, looking north. The long line of portales leads to yet another church, the Parrochia San Pedro, built in the 17th Century with a mixture of styles. These include Baroque, Renaissance, and the large Churrigueresque-style cupola seen above. The city of Cholula is made up of two different municipalities, known as San Pedro Cholula and San Andrés Cholula. Although the present names are in Spanish, this division is actually very ancient, going back to the period when the invading Toltec-Chichimecs partially displaced the Olmec-Xilancas in the 12th Century AD. It was the Toltec-Chichimecs who shifted the city's religious focus away from the Great Pyramid to a new temple for Quetzalcoatl. Three hundred years later, the Spanish destroyed the Quetzalcoatl temple and built the San Gabriel Monastery. In Cholula, a stroll through town involves walking over layer upon layer of history.

A line of restaurants fills the arcade. Restaurant followed restaurant under the long arcade. The furniture was equipale, a style found throughout Mexico. Equipale is made with rough branches and strips of wood woven together. The seat and back are of rawhide leather, sometimes padded, sometimes not. The result is attractive, light, and compact, making it very popular for both restaurants and home furnishings. However, unless well-padded, it is not terribly comfortable for sitting any length of time. The equipale style is very old. Cortés and his conquistadors left detailed descriptions of equipale-style furniture they observed in Moctezuma's palace in Tenochtitlán.

Harpist from Vera Cruz entertains restaurant guests. It is almost inevitable that an open-air restaurant in Mexico will attract street musicians. It is up to the guests whether they agree to his terms to play. The nice thing about it is that guests a little distance away also get to enjoy the music. I usually contribute a little, even if I am not the one to whom the music is directed. In Mexico, life always has a musical soundtrack. The jarocho-style harp and his dress identify the musician as Vera Cruzano.

A shady park fills part of the immense plaza. Even though the ambient air temperature was not overly warm, the sun was intense. At 2,200 meters (7,217 ft.) the air is filled with a luminous glow that makes a shady spot like the park above a welcome relief.

Finally, back to Puebla. After a delicious lunch on Cholula's Zócalo, we decided to head back to our hotel. The bus trip back to Puebla takes about 30 minutes, and has a convenient stop at the southeast corner of Plaza de la Concordia. However, as we traveled through the confusing streets of Puebla, we were baffled as to where we should get off in order walk back to our hotel. As we puzzled over our map, several of our fellow bus-riders came up, one at a time, to consult with us (in Spanish, of course). They were all very concerned that their foreign guests should be able to find their way. Eventually, even the bus driver got involved, making a special effort to point us in the right direction. When we alighted, still another of the bus riders awaited us. The young fellow seen above walked us four blocks to a plaza we recognized and made sure we were clear in our directions. We were charmed by this spontaneous display of concern and hospitality. But then, that's the Mexican attitude we have found wherever we have traveled in this lovely and friendly country.

This completes Part 10 of my Puebla series. Next, we will visit some spectacular Baroque churches and later look in on some of the local markets. I hope you have enjoyed this posting, along with the previous three on Puebla's close neighbor, Cholula. If you would like to comment, please do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 9: Artifacts of Cholula's lost civilization

2011-11-04T15:41:00.000-06:00

Mask worn in religious rites by an ancient inhabitant of Cholula. Across the street from the Great Pyramid is a small but well-designed museum full of artifacts from Cholula's ancient times, including the carved wooden mask shown above. Masks like this have been worn from Mesoamerica's earliest times until the present day. Because of lighting conditions in the museum, I was only able to take a handful of good photos. I decided to combine these with some shots of Aztec dancers we encountered on our way back from our visit to Cholula. The Aztecs (who actually called themselves Mexicas) dominated Cholula at the time that the Spanish arrived. My thought was to mix the action of of the dancers with the static beauty of the ancient artifacts.

Two Aztec dancers compare notes during a break. Note the mask worn by the dancer on the right. These dancers take considerable pains with the authenticity of their attire, music, and performances. Both dancers wear rattles on their lower legs and ankles. The rattles are made strings of nutshells containing small pebbles or corn kernels.

A frog-faced pot with a full set of teeth. The bulbous-eyed creature provides visitors with a toothy grin. Mesoamerican pottery is often shaped to resemble real or mythical animals. The pot is about 45 centimeters (18 in.) tall and 30 centimeters (12 in.) wide. The area around Cholula contains some of the finest potting clay in Mexico.

A pretty dancer shows her full spread of feathers. A head dress like this is called a penacho. The most famous penacho is the one brought back by Cortés as a gift for Holy Roman Emperor Charles V who was also King of Spain. Still on display in a museum in Vienna, Austria, the head dress may have belonged to Moctezuma himself, overthrown and imprisoned by Cortés during the Conquest. Moctezuma's penacho was made with as many as 500 feathers from the quetzal bird, an animal of great religious significance throughout Mesoamerican history. In fact, the creator-god Quetzalcoatl (the Plumed Serpent) was himself adorned with the feathers of the quetzal bird. The possession by Austria of Moctezuma's penacho is a subject of on-going dispute between that country and Mexico.

Finely crafted buttons from the clothing of wealthy Cholulans of prehispanic times. Buttons like these were made of wood or fired clay and then painted in delicate designs. Inhabitants of Cholula were famous as gifted craftspeople in ancient times. Because of Cholula's strategic geographical position at the intersection of the north-south and east-west trade routes, many beautiful products from Cholula found their way throughout the Mesoamerican world.

Aztec warrior armed with a spear and shield wears head dress with feathered jaguar. The jaguar was an animal imbued with great mystical power not only by the Mexicas, but all the way back to the Olmecs, 2000 years before the Spanish arrived. The combination of quetzal feathers with a jaguar head would indicate a warrior of very high status. As professional soldiers, the Spanish conquistadors highly respected the bravery, skill, and discipline of the Mexica warriors they encountered. Almost certainly, if they had carried steel weapons, and been protected by steel armor like the Spanish, the Mexica could have crushed Cortés' small force. As it was, they had already conquered the largest empire in prehispanic Mesoamerican history, including the city of Cholula.

A prosaic but well-crafted cooking implement. This device, a sort of colander, would have been used to stir food as it cooked in a large pot. Then, when ready, the food would have been dipped out, with the liquid draining off through the holes in the bottom of the scoop. The implement is about 1 meter (3 ft.) long, and the bowl-shaped scoop with the holes is about 45 centimeters (18 in.) across. When I encounter homely objects like this, I am often jolted by a sense of connection with the ancient person who utilized it.

Female dancer wears a dress adorned with images of Quetzalcoatl. The people Cortés encountered were beautifully attired with embroidered cotton robes and togas. Feathers were often woven into the fabric as additional decoration. Clothing like this was often demanded as an item of tribute from the Mexica's subject peoples. The dancer carries a hand rattle in her left hand, and a bundle of turquoise colored feathers in her right.

"At dawn, we began to march and the Caciques and priests and many other Indians came out to receive us, most of them were clothed in cotton garments made like tunics. They came in a most peaceful manner and willingly, and the priests carried braziers containing incense with which they fumigated our Captain and us soldiers who were standing near him." Bernal Diaz del Castillo, on the conquistators' entrance into Cholula.

Quetzalcoatl appears again. There is a remarkable similarity between the Plumed Serpent shown on this plate and the one on the front of the dancer's dress in the previous photo. As I stated earlier, the dancers take pains to maintain authenticity. The ancient ceramics of Cholula are considered by some to be the most beautiful in Mesoamerica. It is said that Mexica Emperor Moctezuma himself refused to eat off any dishes except those made in Cholula.

Fringes flying, an older dancer whirls gracefully. I found it surprisingly difficult to get good photos of the dancers in motion. Their constant whirling meant that by the time my shutter clicked, I was often facing their backs. In addition, those long wonderful feathers often blocked my shots. Still, with patience, and careful positioning, I could sometimes catch the beautiful sense of motion and color they created.

Double-handled pitcher, decorated with a feathered monster sporting a toothy grin. The spout of the pitcher is formed in the shape of a face with an up-turned nose. When I first began examining Mesoamerican artifacts, their design and decoration often seemed alien to my modern sensibilities. Now I am developing an appreciation for the quirky sense of humor of these ancient people.

Male dancer, armed with a gourd rattle and a colorful shield. The loin cloth worn by the dancer appears to contain the image of Tlaloc, the rain god.

This lovely pot once hung from the ceiling of a wealthy prehispanic Cholula home. Notice the small handles ringing the pot. Woven cords would have been hooked to these so that the pot could be dangled from a roof beam. The pot contains a lively mixture of abstract and zoomorphic designs. The figure in the center of the pot may be another Plumed Serpent.

This completes my posting on the artifacts of Cholula. My next posting on Cholula will focus on the colonial town that begins just below the Great Pyramid, and particularly on the huge Monastery of San Gabriel. I hope you have enjoyed this posting. If you would like to comment, please use the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 8: The Great Pyramid, above ground and below

2011-10-26T13:26:00.000-05:00

The Great Pyramid of Cholula looms over palaces and plazas on its south side. The view here is from the southwest corner of the pyramid looking northeast. The Church of Our Lady of the Remedies sits atop the pyramid. Since long before the Spanish arrived, most of the Great Pyramid has been covered by earth and vegetation. In the first part of my postings on Cholula, I showed the church and some of the structures on the southeast side of the pyramid. In this one, we will look at the rest of the south side, and examine the great stairway that leads up the west side. Then I'll show some of the unrestored ruins on the north side and give you a peek at what lies beneath the Great Pyramid. The structures you see in the foreground above are parts of Buildings 2 and 3.

South Side: Buildings 2, 3 & Altar of Sacrifices

Buildings 2 & 3 from above, looking south. When we first got to the pyramid, we approached from the north side and none of this was visible. We trudged up the steps to the church, which was nice, but not why we had come. We understood that the Great Pyramid was under our feet, invisible under a layer of earth and vegetation, but surely there had to be more than a large hill with gently sloping sides. We walked back down to the next level just below the one on which the church sits. I moved over to the edge of the grassy platform in order to get a better shot of the church. When I reached the limit of the platform, I looked down and there were the ruins!

Inside Building 2, several stairways and platforms have been reconstructed. This part of the ruins was originally constructed with adobe and limestone covered with stucco. There are presently 3 tiers to Building 2, but there is evidence it was once much higher. Within this structure are murals which we did not see because the area was fenced at the time. In addition to Teotihuacan elements of style, the building also contains designs such as conch shells and starfish which indicate the influence of the Totonac city of El Tajin in modern-day Vera Cruz State. Cholula was a cross-roads state, in communication with both the coast and the interior.

Parts of Buildings 2 & 3 reminded me of a lithograph by M.C. Escher. Like Escher's works, the stairs and passageways of these buildings seemed to start from nowhere and end in blank walls. Above, a substantial stairway leads to a miniscule courtyard, surrounded by giant walls. This effect was created by the Mesoamerican practice of covering over existing buildings in order to create new structures. This practice was used extensively at the Great Pyramid and its associated temples and plazas. In the photo above, the high walls encroach upon a courtyard that was much larger at one time. These newer walls are of a style inferior to the work of the architects of Cholula's Classic Era. A Golden Age had passed.

More Escher-like constructions. Within the complex made up of Buildings 2 and 3 are a couple ancient scale models of pre-hispanic temples. Unfortunately, these too were out of sight because of the fencing. The ancient people apparently wanted to commemorate the stupendous works of the even more ancient and almost legendary people who had gone before. The models were built after the end of the Classic period.

Altar of Sacrifices. This altar is just to the west of Building 3, in the crook of an arm of the ruins extending directly west. It is small, only about 2.44 meters square (8 ft X 8 ft), and .9 meters tall (3 ft). Buried just in front of the steps on the left (west) side of the altar, archaeologists found the decapitated skulls of two children, apparently offerings to the rain gods made in an effort to end a drought.This structure was built considerably after the fall of Classic Cholula. It was probably constructed by one of three different groups that successively occupied Cholula after 850 AD: the Olmec-Xilanca, the Toltec-Chichimecas, and a Nahuatl-speaking group distantly related to the Mexica (Aztecs). The last group were the ones encountered by Hernán Cortés on his way to conquer the Mexica Empire, based in Tenochtitlán (modern Mexico City). The two cities are only 113 kilometers apart (70 mi.).

West Side: Stairway to Heaven

Buildng F, a magnificent Teotihuacan-style staircase. This huge, three-tiered structure was built to showcase the beginning of a series of 4 grand staircases leading up to the top of the west side of the Great Pyramid. This one leads from the ground level up to the first great platform of the pyramid, with three more platforms above it, each with a similar staircase structure. At one time, there may also have been similar staircases on the other 3 sides of the pyramid. To get a sense of how these staircases connected the platforms of the Great Pyramid, scroll down to my previous posting to see the artist's conception. Remember that the structure above only represents the bottom level of the overall staircase on the west side.

The tablero and talud style of Teotihuacan can clearly be seen above. The tablero is the long vertically-set rectangle, below which is the sloping wall of the talud. Given this style, it is probable that the stairway was built during the Classic period, around 450 AD when Teotihuacan had its greatest influence on Cholula. Teotihuacan fell in 600 AD but Cholula's Classic period lasted until about 850 AD. The two people seen at the top corner provide a sense of scale.

Two young archaeology students wave a greeting. These two were the students of a university professor who was visiting the site. We struck up a conversation while viewing some of the ruins. He started to tell me of all the ruins we should visit in Mexico, and was astonished to learn that Carole and I had already visited most of the ones he mentioned.

The grand staircase of Building F. Like most of the Mesoamerican staircases we have seen, this one was exceedingly steep, with each step high and narrow. A visitor must tread very carefully because a fall would be difficult to stop once started and could have serious, even fatal, consequences. Many such staircases are now off limits to tourists because of accidents. The base of Building F is 70 meters long (229 ft.), and each tier is 4 meters high (13.12 ft.). The length of this whole side of the Great Pyramid is 450 meters (1480 ft.).

Building F's tablero contains a woven mat design. The design is made of worked stone, and was bathed in red paint in ancient times. Placing such designs within a tablero was a Cholulan innovation on the Teotihuacan style.

Volador mounts the stairs of Building F. This traditionally-dressed fellow was part of a quintet of indigenous performers from the small town of Papantla in Vera Cruz State. Voladores climb a very tall pole where four of them hang by their feet from ropes and swing around the pole as they are gradually lowered to the ground. The fifth man remains on top, playing a flute and beating on a drum. The performance is awesome, particularly since the ropes connecting them to the top of the pole are only loosely looped around their bodies. This ceremony, done now mostly for tourists, was performed for religious reasons in the ancient city of El Tajin. The voladores support themselves mostly from donations, and this fellow climbed to the top of the Building F structure to seek whatever people would give. I gave generously, as I usually do to street performers and muscians. It's a hard way to make a living.

North Side

Unidentified structure on the north side of the Great Pyramid. We found this small pyramid across a busy street just to the north of the Great Pyramid. It was fenced off and lacked any sign. Many of the structures in this area were destroyed when the road was built between Cholula and Puebla in colonial times. No doubt parts of the ancient buildings were used in road construction. The Spanish cared little for these ancient structures and considered them temples for devil worship. This is how many ancient structures may have appeared to the early archaeological explorers.

Closeup of the staircase of the northern area building. My attention was caught by the structure in the middle of the staircase. Clearly, it was meant for someone to stand on its top level, approximately 3/4 of the way up the stairs. Probably a priest or other important figure exhorted a crowd assembled below.

Beneath the Great Pyramid

Tunnel mouth leads into the interior of the Great Pyramid. When we visited Cholula, we had no idea that there was anything significant and accessible underneath. We briefly stopped to talk with a couple of guys who wanted to sell us tickets to tour a tunnel. Since we were tired, it was late, and we still wanted to see the Cholula museum, we declined. Little did we know that underneath the Great Pyramid are several earlier pyramids, or that archaeologists have built more than 8 kilometers of tunnels (5 miles!) to reach these hidden treasures. This provides one more reason to revisit Puebla and its little sister, Cholula.

Spectacular painted murals were found within the Great Pyramid. The murals portray scenes with nobles sitting and drinking as part of some ancient religious fiesta. We found the murals shown here in the museum. They are reproductions of the originals still underneath the pyramid.

A noble dips into a large pot while he relaxes with his comrades. The substance he is drinking is probably pulque, a mildly intoxicating drink that can still be purchased in many areas of rural Mexico. Before the introduction of beer in the late 19th Century, pulque was the most popular alcoholic drink in Mexico for the poorer classes. In the Nahuatl language it is called octli. The ancients reserved its use for the priests and nobles, considering it sacred. Pulque is made from maguey plant, a relative of agave, from which tequila is produced.

Puebla Part 7: Cholula's Great Pyramid

2011-10-20T14:19:00.000-05:00

Cholula's Great Pyramid is part of a huge complex of ancient structures. The view above is from the southeast corner of the pyramid, looking over the walls and stairways of the Edificio Teotihuacano. Visible on top of the Great Pyramid is a small colonial-era church. It was official Spanish colonial policy to tear down indigenous temples, or at least to build churches on top of them, as a graphic demonstration that a new power with a new ideology ruled the day. The town of Cholula lies a short distance northwest of Puebla. Visiting this community and its Great Pyramid was one of the major goals of our Puebla adventure. To go, we took a city bus from the central terminal located just north of Parque Bravo on the western outskirts of Puebla's Centro Historico. The bus trip was an adventure in it itself, but that's another story.

Artist's conception of the Great Pyramid in its heyday. The view is from the northeast corner of the pyramid, looking southwest toward the Popocatépetl volcano, seen smoking in the background. This pyramid, also known by its Nahuatl name Tlachihualtepetl ("artificial mountain"), is the second largest-- by volume--in the world. Only the pyramid of La Danta, at the El Mirador ruins of northern Guatemala is larger than the one at Cholula. As you can see above, the pyramid was not so much tall as it was broad. It stands 66 meters high (217 ft) and extends 450 meters (1480 ft) on each side. The total volume is estimated at an astonishing 4.45 million cubic meters. By contrast, Egypt's Great Pyramid at Giza contains 2.5 million cubic meters, although, at 138 meters (455 ft), the Giza pyramid is taller. Archaeologists believe that the Great Pyramid was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, the creator-god worshipped by many Mesoamerican civilizations from the Olmecs (contemporaries of the ancient Greeks) to the Aztecs of the early 1500s.

Cutaway model of the Great Pyramid reveals many layers added over the centuries. The view is from the southwest corner looking northeast. Cholula is the oldest continuously occupied city in the Western Hemisphere. Over the millenia, the area was occupied by several different groups who built and rebuilt the pyramid and its temple complex. In the process they covered over some sections and built other structures on top, as you can see in the cutaway above. At the top of the pyramid is the most recent construction, a Catholic church built in 1864, itself replacing a previous church. Below the church is the Great Pyramid, most of which is today covered by earth and vegetation. Underneath the largest pyramid are several smaller pyramids over which it was built. At the left center is Building F, actually the first stage of several great staircases that led up to the top of the Great Pyramid. On the lower right of the photo are the parts of the ruins--including Edificio Teotihuacano--that have been uncovered to date. These include several levels of patios, altars, and buildings, representing several periods of development.

In this posting, and the one that follows, I will use various cutaway models and site maps because the Great Pyramid complex is so vast that without them it would be difficult to appreciate how anything fits together. We'll begin with the church at the top, then look at some of the complexes and altars on the south side of the pyramid. In the next posting, we'll first complete viewing the south side and then examine Building F on the west side. Next we'll move around to the ruins found on the north side, as well as taking a peek at the vivid murals found during excavations by archaeologists.

Church of Our Lady of the Remedies

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Remedios. The mound on which the church sits is only the top stage of the pyramid. A long sloping stairway leads down to the broad second stage on which I stood to take the photo. There were two more stages below this. Carole can be seen standing on the left near the bottom of the stairs. When the conquistadors first took control of Cholula, they planted a cross where the teocalli (native temple) was at the top of the pyramid. However in 1536 a bolt of lightning struck the cross. It was replaced, but then a second and later a third cross were similarly destoyed. Upon inspection of the site, Franciscan friars discovered prehispanic idols and buried snails, apparently left there by indigenous people still worshiping the old god. Evidently, Quetzalcoatl didn't think much of crosses.

Carole enters the courtyard of Our Lady of Remedies. The church is not large, but is beautifully proportioned. In 1594, construction of the church began, work that lasted until 1666. Over time, the church became a religious shrine noted for its power of healing, hence the name. It drew pilgrims from considerable distances. In a town that celebrates many religious festivals during the year, Cholula's September fiesta for Nuestra Señora de los Remedios is the most important. Apparently the site also continues to draw worshipers of Quezalcoatl, and today rites to that ancient god are performed at the pyramid. Because the Great Pyramid complex is holy to adherents of both religious beliefs, the site has not been completely excavated.

Steeple and cupola of the church. Unfortunately, photography is not allowed inside the church so the only views I can offer are of the exterior. The dome of the cupola is beautifully tiled with Puebla's famous talavera. In 1854 the first church collapsed in an earthquake and, in 1864, it was replaced by the structure you see today. The image of the Virgin that drew so many pilgrims was moved to another church in 1867, but after an earthquake in 1874 it was returned to Our Lady of the Remedies. It seems that Queztalcoatl may not be the only Higher Power who takes umbrage when things are unduly disturbed. It is not clear which one caused the damage from the earthquake of 1999, or what the deity was upset about. Perhaps it was a joint effort.

Cholula Centro Historico from the church courtyard. The town of Cholula spreads out in all directions around the Great Pyramid. Looking west, you can see the town's Centro Historico, including the Monastery of San Gabriel in the center of the photo. In a later posting, we'll walk through the Centro Historico to see this large monastery and many other lovely colonial buildings. In the meantime, you can get a sense of the height of the Great Pyramid by how it towers over the buildings below.

The South side Complex

Cutaway model detail showing ruins on the Great Pyramid's south side. The 4-sided pyramid was constructed with an orientation to the 4 cardinal directions, considered holy by the ancients. The south side has the greatest accumulation of religious and ceremonial structures, dating from various periods of Cholula's history. Briefly, the arm that extends to the east (toward the top of the photo) is part of the Edificio Teotihuacano. Below it is a large patio constructed in the shape of a "C" called the Patio of the Altars. At the open end of the C is a square, sunken shrine called the Altar Mexica (pronounced May-sheey-ka). Below the Patio are Buildings 2 and 3 containing various shrines and murals. At the bottom, in the angle between Building 3 and the long arm extending west, is a small square structure called the Atlar of Sacrifices. In this post and the next, we will take a close look at all of these structures.

How Edificio Teotihuacano got its name. This photo gives you a sense of the jumble of construction among these ruins, with earlier structures buried under later ones. The structure in the center of the photo is very distinctly of the Teotihuacan style. In the middle of the photo is a right-angle corner with a framed rectangle called a tablero. Below it is a sloping panel called a talud. Classic-Era Cholula was a contemporary of the great city of Teotihuacan (north of today's Mexico City) and was unquestionably influenced by its spectacular civilization. In fact, Cholula's population of 100,000 made it the next largest city in Mesoamerica after Teotihuacan with its 200,000+. In Europe, this was the period of the Dark Ages, with Rome, Paris, and London little more than muddy villages dominated by filthy, fur-clad barbarians.

Some of the ancient plaster still covers the stone walls. This area is part of the Edificio Teotihuacano, along with a mixture of later additions. In the foreground, you can see parts of the ancient plaster still clinging to the underlying stone. The Great Pyramid complex was begun by a people we call the Olmec/Xicalanca. It is unknown what they called themselves. The overall complex was built in six stages, beginning in the 3rd Century BC, contemporary with early Rome and Carthage. Construction lasted, off and on, until the 9th Century AD, an astonishing 1,200 years. In 600 AD the Teotihuacan civilization collapsed and by 750 AD was only a memory. Next, in the mid-9th Century Cholula itself suffered a drastic decline in its population and the Great Pyramid was abandoned. However, the site and the area around it continued to be revered by civilizations that came into prominence as a result of Teotihuacan's demise and Cholula's decline. Over time, this feeling of reverence by people from a wide variety of indigenous cultures began to make the Cholula ruins into a kind of Jerusalem to these ancient societies. They came on pilgrimages, built shrines, and buried their dead in and around the ruins. Some time around the 10th Century AD, Cholula's original Olmec/Xilanca people were conquered and assimilated by the Toltec/Chichimecs, a group made up of remnants of the Teotihuacans mixed with the much-less-civilized but extremely warlike nomadic tribes from the northern deserts. The Toltec/Chichimecs settled around modern-day Tula (Hidalgo State), establishing their capital there, called Tollan. Expanding from Tollan, they created the Toltec Empire, which lasted from the late 9th Century until the 11th Century AD.

Patio of the Altars

Map of the Patio de los Altares. To the west of and adjoining the Edificio Teotihuacano is a large plaza called the Patio de los Altares (Patio of Altars). On the map above, north is toward the top. On the right (east) side are a set of stair cases and small patios. About 1/2 way up this side is a large altar with an upright stela called Atlar One. Above it, in the northeast corner is another stairway with a small altar in front and a large stone head. In the middle of the north section is a great staircase, flanked on either side by two very beautifully preserved tablero and talud structures. At the center of the bottom of the great staircase is Altar 3, another upright stela of unusual design. To its left, in the northwest corner is another staircase. Following down the left (west) side is Altar Two, directly across from Altar One. It is a horizontal slab of stone decorated with carvings of Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent. At the open bottom (south) side of the Patio is a slightly off-center square, recessed into the ground and containing the Altar Mexica.

Altar Mexica sits in a small, square, sunken patio. This altar was built some centuries after the rest of the Patio de los Altares was abandoned, probably by people who were associated with the Mexica (Aztecs). In the 14th Century AD, they founded Tenochtitlán (modern Mexico City), to the west of Cholula. The Mexica were part of the last great wave of Chichimec invaders who arrived a century or two after the fall of the Toltec Empire. They, too, came to share the widespread reverence for Cholula's ancient, pyramid complex. Various offerings have been unearthed at the Altar Mexica, including some human remains. It is not clear whether the remains are from people who were sacrificed or simply buried here. Although the Great Pyramid and its complex were largely abandoned by the time of the Mexica's arrival, Cholula itself was not and it continued as an important city up to, and after, the arrival of Hernán Cortés.

View of the Patio de los Altares and Great Pyramid from Altar Mexica. The Patio de los Altares was built during the Toltec/Chichimeca period (900-1200 AD), some time after the abandonment of the Great Pyramid (seen just north of the Patio in the background). By the time the Mexica arrived, the pyramid was already covered by earth and vegetation, but was still considered religiously important. Indeed, its awesome size would certainly have impressed the former nomads. In the center of the photo above you can see Altar Three in front of the grand staircase, flanked by the two tablero and talud structures. The broad Patio area would have held quite a throng of spell-bound people, fascinated by the pageantry and fantastic feathered costumes of the priests and nobles as they performed mysterious rituals including human sacrifice.

East side of Patio de los Altares. The sides of the Patio contain various smaller patios with staircases leading down into them. However, so many levels have been overlayed that it is difficult to tell where one begins and another ends.

Altar One on the east side of the Patio de los Altares. This altar is the only one on the Patio with both an upright stela and a horizontal altar. The stela is framed around the sides with low relief carving of abstract designs, showing the influence of El Tajin, a ruined ancient city in the northern part Vera Cruz State. The stela's center area is blank, and was probably covered with painted decorations. The brick structure behind the somewhat fragmented stela is modern and only for support purposes. When found, the stela had been shattered into twenty-two pieces. The altar is set in the middle of a long rectangular cobblestone area, in front of a broad staircase. This pattern of an altar in front of a staircase is repeated around the Patio.

Un-numbered altar and stone head at the northeast corner of the Patio. This repeats the altar-in-front-of-staircase pattern. However, this time the altar is in the shape of a snake's head, possibly a reference to Quetzacoatl. The designs on the snake correspond to the style found at the Zapotec's Monte Alban ruin, in modern Oaxaca. In the foreground is a large, carved stone head. The eyes show a resemblance to the Olmec style from the Gulf Coast. This blending of styles--from the Olmec to the Totonacs of El Tajin, to Teotihuacan, to that of the Zapotecs--came about because of Choula's location. It was a great commercial center situated at the strategic intersection of the trade routes between the Gulf and Central Mexico and between Monte Alban in the south to Teotihuacan and the Toltec's Tollan in the north. Nearby Puebla was built by the Spanish in the 16th Century for exactly the same reasons.

Tablero and talud of Altar Three. This fine example of Teotihuacan style is matched by an identical structure on the left side of the great northern staircase of the Patio. The tablero, or long vertically-set rectangle was originally decorated with painted aquatic symbols and bands of red, blue, yellow, and black. The T-shaped decorations on the talud, or sloping surface, are an innovation by Cholulan architects on the basic Teotihuacan style.

Altar Three and the grand staircase leading toward the Great Pyramid. This altar and its staircase are considered by archaeologists to be the most important features of the Patio. The shape of the white stela is unusual, with its pointed top, and the staircase itself seems to lead directly to the ancient and holy Great Pyramid. This is clearly the focus point of the entire Patio area.

Closeup of Altar Three. The El Tajin style is repeated on Altar Three. Again, the blank surface was probably painted with designs. As you can see, the stela was broken near the bottom and was found lying on a platform. This, along with the shattering of Altar One's stela, may indicate some deliberate destruction happened here centuries ago. Invading forces often toppled or destroyed the stelae of those they conquered. At present there is no way to tell.

West side of the Patio, showing Altar Two. This altar is horizontal, and is the only one with no upright stela. The white stone of the altar is set on a raised, four-stepped platform. Interestingly, the staircase in the background (northwest corner of the Patio) has no altar of any sort at its base.

Plumed Serpents decorate edges of Altar Two. This altar is the most richly decorated of the whole Patio de los Altares. On its flat surface are El Tajin-style designs, while the sides, as seen above, are carved with writhing feathered serpents, clearly a reference to Quetzalcoatl. The white stone of the altar is estimated to weigh ten tons.

This completes Part 7 of my Puebla series. In the next part we will complete the tour of the Great Pyramid complex. Following that I'll give you a look at some of the remarkable artifacts found here, along with some spectacularly costumed Aztec dancers we fortuitously encountered. In the next part after that, I'll walk you through a bit of the Centro Historico of Cholula. As always, I welcome feedback. If you'd like to leave a comment, please do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 6: Rambling 'round the Centro Historico

2011-10-10T20:45:00.000-05:00

This ornate window caught my attention while wandering the Centro Historico. Carole and I spent a considerable part of our time in Puebla just wandering the streets. The Centro Historico of Puebla is huge, one of the biggest I have encountered in Mexico. Every street contains something of interest, sometimes large, sometimes tiny. The window above is actually quite small, but is surrounded by a gorgeous frame of sculpted stone. The photographic environment was such that I could have closed my eyes, pointed my camera randomly in any direction and would probably have captured an interesting shot. Carole had to exercise a great deal of patience, because getting me from Point A to Point B often took considerable time.

The Talavera Tradition

Talavera tile covers this lovely 17th Century building. I noticed this place while visiting Parque Paseo Bravo on the western outskirts of the Centro Historico. It stands on the corner of Avenida Reforma and Avenida 11 Norte. In addition to the tile work, the white framing of the doors, windows and other trimmings are beautifully sculpted. Lacy, wrought-iron balconies join the corner windows on each floor.

Talavera containing blue pigments was considered the finest quality. Above, talavera azulejos (tiles) cover the lower half of the outside of this building. While indigenous people in Mesoamerica had produced exquisite pottery for thousands of years before the Spanish arrived, they were unfamiliar with the potter's wheel or the use of tin glazing to coat their products. Shortly after the founding of Puebla in 1531, the Dominican friars of Santo Domingo church sent for expert Spanish potters to train the local people. The potters came from Talavera de la Reina, hence the name. Thus began the Puebla's famous talavera poblana, for which the city is famous worldwide. After their arrival, the potters created a guild that set work standards. Pottery containing blue pigment was given the highest standard of Fine, because the pigment used was very expensive. Other grades were Semi-fine, and Daily Use. The guild required each piece produced to be signed by the creator, and that anyone desiring to become a master potter had to take an examination held annually.

Colonial-era design on Puebla's federal building. This two-story building fills the block just south of the Cathedral. The building was once used for Church-run schools. Talavera is used in both repetitive abstract designs, like that seen in the previous photo, or to create paintings-in-tile like that seen above. The talavera style draws on the pottery traditions of the Arabs, who dominated Spain for 700 years until just before the discovery of the Americas. Other traditions that contributed include Italian techniques developed in the 1300s, and those of the Spanish potters of Talavera de la Reina. Chinese influence came from pottery imported by the Manila galleons into New Spain. Finally, pulling it all together, was the anciently-developed artistry of Mexico's indigenous people.

Mexican doorways are often eye-catching

Entry to Museo Jose Luis Bello y Zetina. Although this museum was closed when we happened by, I could not resist a shot of its eye-catching doorway. Surrounded by deep-red walls, the doorway is framed by beautiful talavera tiles. The door itself is of richly colored wood panels. This doorway, called the Pilgrim's Portal, used to be part of the exuberantly baroque Santo Domingo church. The museum contains collections of colonial and Mexican artists of the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries.

An unexpected subject in my photo. While I was setting up for a shot of this beautifully carved door, a small boy suddenly darted across the street and took up the position you see. Anyone wanting to be included in my photo that bad gets an opportunity to do so. He was the son of a street musician. Such musicians often use their children to collect money from passersby as they play. You can see the collection cup in the boy's right hand. He adds just the right element of human interest and provides a scale to judge the size of the door. Notice the large lions-head knockers on each door, and the ancient paving stones of the sidewalk.

Another beautiful door detail. I could have done a whole posting just on Puebla's doors and their fascinating details. This was part of a double door on the front of a colonial mansion. There was a matching figure of a young boy on the other door, looking a bit like Tom Sawyer. I wondered if the girl above is Becky. I was charmed by the innocent face, long curling hair and the detailed ruffles on the neckline of her blouse. Here you have the work of a master carver.

Balconies abounded in Puebla

Virtually every building contains second-story balconies. We found this colonial building on Calle 4 Oriente, on the eastern outskirts of the Centro Historico. It appeared to be undergoing restoration. The large double wooden door in the center is a carriage entrance to the central courtyard of the home. Religious and other important processions were a regular part of life in colonial times, and the wealthy occupants of this mansion could view them from above, safely and without mixing among the common people.

Neo-classical style building contains a round balcony. While I enjoy the wild, almost psychedelic baroque style, I am more partial to the simple lines of the 18th Century's neo-classic, seen above. It seems as if the architectural style of each era is a reaction to previous styles. Notice the false columns on either side of the door and framing the overall window segment. I couldn't tell from this distance whether the green of the balcony was paint or the patina of aged bronze.

French doors open onto another balcony. It was difficult to photograph the etching in the window glass, due to the light reflections at that time of day. The green of this balcony is clearly paint. The color nicely sets off the wood behind it. This window is part of a building called Casa de la Reina (House of the Queen), owned by the Benemérita Universidad Autónomo de Puebla (BUAP), the large autonomous university that sprawls through Puebla. It was founded by the Jesuits in early colonial times, but is now state-owned. The word autonomous means that it controls its own curriculum. There is tremendous competition among prospective students, because graduation can be a ticket to a prosperous middle class life.

Random oddities from colonial to space age

History according to graffiti artists. We stopped to take a breather at Parque Guiterre de Cetina, located on the corner of Calle 5 de Mayo and Calle 12 Oriente. It is another of those charming little "vest-pocket" parks one finds all over Puebla. Several long panels were formed by the walls of the building beside the park. They became the canvas for one or more very talented graffiti artists. The theme was the clash between indigenous civilizations and the invading Spanish. Above, a warrior/noble is framed by two creatures holding immense symbolic power in ancient Mesoamerica: the jaguar and the eagle. These two animals were the totems of the two most important warrior societies of the Toltec Empire and the Itza Maya people of Chichen Itza. The fellow above seems a bit apprehensive at the approach of the huge jaguar behind him. Or maybe he's just waiting for a bus.

Old technology, but still in use. I glanced in the open storefront of Artes Gráficas Escalante, a local print shop, and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw this old machine. It is probably from the mid-19th century, and appears to be hand-operated. Clearly it was still in use, probably for special orders requiring only a small printing run. Just down the street was a cyber-cafe with modern laptops. I love the juxtaposition of the old and the modern in Mexico.

Stone decoration on an otherwise undistinguished building. Clearly the original owner, probably a 17th Century merchant, was wealthy enough to commission this stone work for his Puebla mansion. Today, it decorates a humdrum modern business.

Another group desiring photographic inclusion. While I was snapping away on busy Calle 5 de Mayo, one of the principal pedestrian-only streets, this family passed by. The father jokingly suggested that I photograph them. He was a bit astonished when I immediately agreed, but I couldn't resist. They were such a cheerful and friendly group, and I like to have plenty of "people shots" to leaven among the ones of beautiful, but lifeless, buildings and statuary.

The Virgin of Guadalupe keeps watch over busy streets. The Virgin of Guadalupe is the patron of Mexico, and particularly of its indigenous people and the poor. She has both religious and political significance, having been adopted by the insurgents of 1810 as their symbol in the War of Independence. Where she is displayed in churches, the Virgin of Guadalupe is often bracketed by Mexican flags. Above, she is made from, and framed by, the inevitable talavera.

Old-fashioned news kiosk. Selling newspapers and magazines, kiosks like this are found all over the Centro Historico. The decorative elements found on them indicate that they are probably still-functioning relics of the 19th Century. In Mexico, if something works, they don't discard it for whatever is the fad-of-the-week as is unfortunately done so often north-of-the-border. If the old function no longer applies, they find a new one. Thus, the best of the past is preserved, and areas like the Centro Historico avoid architectural horrors like strip malls and other modern "improvements".

Cranking away, an organ grinder entertains passersby. I aways tip the many street musicians I encounter in Mexico. It's a hard way to make a living. People can, and often do, partake of their product with out paying. They provide a sound-track to my experiences here, so I always contribute something to enable them to continue.

Revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata, relegated to an obscure nook. The bust of Zapata was placed here as part of the Dia del Campesino Mexicano (Day of the Mexican Farm Worker). At the instigation of the League of Rural Communities and the Farmworkers Unions, the State Congress celebrated farmworkers in 1982. During the Revolution, Emiliano Zapata--more than any other figure--led the struggle for social and economic justice by the rural poor and the indigenous people . Although he was assassinated before he could complete his revolution, he is still revered, and the modern Zapatista Movement in Chiapas State is named for him. The powers-that-be made certain that his bust was placed in an obsure and non-descript spot that I only found by accident. He was never popular with the political leaders whose main aim was wealth and power for themselves.

A cannon frames a smirking cat. This little detail was an oddity among oddities. By the look of the tile work, the construction is very old. The barrel of the cannon is actually a pipe to drain off rain water from the flat roof. Part of the left-hand wheel of the cannon appears to have broken off. Under the cannon, a cat smirks at pedestrians below, while smothering a laugh at their modern antics. There were several similar rain pipe decorations along the front of the building. One could strain one's neck taking in all the little details like this, found in all directions.

An extraterrestrial greeting. You never know what is likely to be found around the next corner. Mexicans have a superb sense of the absurd, and express it whenever possible. Above, a spaceman/robot attempts to attract the interest of passersby in the products of the furniture store behind him. He obliged me with a wave when I asked for a photo. The young woman in the background kindly stopped to avoid interfering with my photo but couldn't resist a grin at the scene.

Ancient Egyptian waitress. I found this 1920s art deco painting adorning a tavern on a side street. With the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, all things Egyptian became popular in many places, including Mexico.

Restaurant hostess displays her China Poblana costume. In the 18th Century, the China Poblana style became very popular in Mexico, and a symbol, like talavera, of Puebla. The term literally means Chinese Pueblan, but the woman who possessed this name in the 17th Century was actually from India. Mirra was born of a noble family but abducted by Portuguese pirates as a child. She escaped and sought refuge with Jesuit priests and converted to Catholicism, taking the name Caterina de San Juan. She was again abducted, by the same pirates, and sold into slavery in Manila. The Viceroy of Mexico had commissioned a Manila treasure galleon captain to bring him back a beautiful slave, and Caterina was chosen. However, the captain was greedy and sold her for 10 times the Viceroy's price to a wealthy family in Puebla. They raised her kindly and she was freed upon her owner's death. She ultimately came to live with the Jesuits in Puebla, finally passing away in 1688. Before she died, she became revered as a holy woman. It was her colorful Indian saris that triggered this style of dress in Mexico. The China Poblana consists of a white but colorfully sequined and embroidered blouse, and a skirt called a castor, also beaded and sequined. It was often worn with a shawl looped over the elbows. Caterina de San Juan is buried in the Sacristy of the Jesuit Temple in Puebla.

This completes Part 6 of my series on Puebla. Next, we will visit Cholula, a small city just outside Puebla that is the site of a great pre-hispanic city and the largest pyramid (by volume) in the world. I always appreciate feedback. If you would like to comment, please do so in the Comments section below or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 5: Gods, men, and animals as pre-hispanic people saw them

2011-10-03T21:13:00.001-05:00

A jolly figure at Puebla's Museo Amparo. The figure is one of many similar smiling statues found in ancient Mixtec graves in Oaxaca's Monte Alban and Mitla. Apparently, laughing it up and having a good old time was one way to get the gods on your side. In this second posting on the Museo Amparo, I will focus on several themes, including depictions of gods and rulers, men and animals, zoomorphs (combination human and animal figures), the famous Mesoamerican Ball Game, and rituals of death. I confess that I had so many photos of wonderful Mesoamerican artifacts that it was at times agonizing to winnow the list down to a usable number for this posting. So, keep in mind that this is only a taste of what is in the Amparo.

Gods and Rulers

Gods of Creation, discussing their work. The Maya were the pre-eminent sculptors of Mesoamerica. Their ability to gracefully use sculpture-in-the-round to show people in realistic postures is unsurpassed. The two figures above are Maya gods of Creation. Here they sit, relaxed in natural postures, obviously very deep in discussion. The god on the right sits cross-legged, leaning toward his interlocutor to make his point. The casual way he supports his left arm on his knee, and the detail of the curled fingers of his right hand are remarkable. The figure on the left also leans forward, but clearly in a listening posture, as he idly fingers the contents of the bowl between them. Surrounding the figures are hieroglyphs that explain the scene. In the anthropological museum of Guatemala City I saw a throne showing two nobles in very similar postures. It may be that the same sculptor carved both pieces.

A scowling ruler. This stela shows ruler standing with his staff of office in his right hand and a deeply scornful expression on his face. The rest of the stela was missing so it was not clear who or what caused the scowl. Probably it was war captives, about to be sacrificed. This was the usual fate of defeated warriors, particularly if they were of royal or noble standing. Captives often appear on such stelae, and sometimes the ruler is shown dancing a jig of glee. As befits the hot climate of the lowland Maya areas of Yucatan Peninsula, Chiapas, and the northern Petén of Guatemala, the figure is lightly, but elegantly, clothed. He also seems pretty well fed, as one would expect for a person of such status.

Men in daily life

The drinker. "Sit down and have a beer with me!", this friendly fellow seems to be saying. His right hand is raised in a casual salute, and a genial smile creases his face, while he holds a cup resting on his left knee. He wears a head dress and large, elaborate rings in his ears and nose. His upper body is tatooed extensively, while his lower torso is covered by a toga-like garment that extends up over his left shoulder. He may be drinking an alcoholic beverage made from a mixture of maiz (corn) and cacao, a form of beer popular at ancient Mesoamerican festivals.

The orator. It was not clear to me whether this fellow was addressing a large assembly of people, or perhaps entreating the gods. His gaze may be directed either to those seated on the steps of the temple above him or, alternatively, to the heavens. He is gesturing forcefully and the expression on his face is intense. His features seem vaguely Olmec, with the flattened nose and thick lips one finds on the famous Olmec heads of Mexico's Gulf Coast. The sculptor managed to communicate a tremendous amount of energy through this small piece.

The runway model. Dressed in fine clothes and wearing an amazing head dress, this figure seems to be saying "look at me!" Arms extended, the figure stands in just the way one would to display a favorite outfit. While I first thought this was a male figure, the posture of presentation makes me think it might be female. However, I am left uncertain because it has none of the usual physical characteristics present in a pre-hispanic female figure.

The soldier. At first, I thought this was another orator because of the raised arm, the upturned face, and the mouth open to speak. Then I noticed the erect, almost rigid posture and the small hole formed by the clenched, upraised hand. The hole is horizontal, apparently intended to hold a spear or other weapon extended horizontally through it. The figure wears what appears to be a helmet and armor on his upper body. His shout may be a war cry, or possibly orders to his assembled troops.

The shivering man. The sculptor of this piece did a remarkable job of conveying the exact feeling of his subject. The figure sits crosslegged, huddled, with his arms crossed over his chest and gripping his upper body. This is exactly the posture one would take if experiencing a sudden chill. I could almost see the Mesoamerican equivalent of goosebumps all over his body. He definitely looks uncomfortable. Somebody give this guy a blanket!

Man munching a snack. This was one of my favorites. Once again sitting crosslegged, a common Mesoamerican posture, this man's cheeks bulge as he chews some of the snack he holds in his right hand. His eyes are half closed, as if he is supremely enjoying the taste. Notice the elongated head. Upper class families often shaped the heads of their babies so that they would take such an elongated form as adults. This was one way of distinguishing themselves from the common people.

Animals depictions

Snarling cat seems ready to pounce. The cat was found in a tomb in the Colima area. It is very similar in posture, style, and finish to the famous Colima dogs so often found in such tombs. Cats, particularly jaguars and pumas, were extraordinarily powerful symbolic figures throughout the various Mesoamerican cultures. They represented power and skill, and their association with the night connected them to the underworld of death.

A Colima Dog. I have always enjoyed the natural and realistic postures in which Colima dogs are portrayed by ancient sculptors. Until I moved to Mexico, I was a dog owner for many years. I still enjoy other people's dogs, and those I befriend while walking the streets of the village where I live. This ancient dog lies in exactly the posture I have seen live dogs assume, with legs and tail curled under him. He has obviously just heard something and has perked up his ears and slightly raised his head. Perhaps his master is approaching, or he has detected the telltale noises of food preparation in the kitchen.

Curious George. This little creature, perhaps some kind of forest rodent, has stopped in his tracks. He is frozen by curiosity, with his head turned to whatever attracted his attention. The artist has cleverly used small indentations to suggest the spots on his coat.

A fat monkey, ready to burst. The sculptor has transformed this pitcher into a lively, rotund image that may be a monkey. Pitchers, bowls, and pots and other household implements were often decorated with animal or human themes. Why settle for a boring old pitcher, when you can have something like this on your shelf?

Angry weasel arches his back. His teeth bared and back arched, this weasel expresses its anger and willingness to attack if further molested. Again, this talented sculptor has captured emotion, energy and the possibility of fierce action.

Zoomorphs: human/animal mixtures

Pre-hispanic ancestor of Donald Duck? This cheerful-looking little duck-billed guy is a zoomorph, a figure with both human and animal characteristics. Some zoomorphs are mixtures of different animals. For example, Quetzalcoatl, the famous Plumed Serpent, is a mixture of a snake and the quetzal bird. While zoomorphs generally have serious religious connotations, I can't help feeling that this sculptor had a sense of humor about his work. Note to the Disney Corporation: check your copyright, this guy definitely got in ahead of you.

Waahoo! Ride 'em cowboy! Above, a thorn-studded reptilian creature is ridden by another with a similar hide, but big ears and a bird-like beak. This was one of the wildest and funniest of the zoomorphs I encountered in the Amparo. What imaginations these people had!

Richly decorated human head with an animal snout. This was obviously a figure of some importance, given the elaborate head dress, ear rings, and cloth on what remains of the left shoulder. The torso from the shoulder down seems to have been lost or destroyed. The opening at the top may indicate use as an incense burner or a container of some kind.

Frog with a papoose. This rather fat frog came with a small figure strapped to its back, as a mother would carry a baby or small child. The smaller figure appears to have some human characteristics, but also has large floppy ears and is definitely not a baby frog. The hole in the top indicates this piece may have had some household use.

The thinker. Above is a beautifully proportioned figure of a seated man with the head of a rabbit. The figure seems deep in thought. To the Mayans, the rabbit symbolized cleverness, games and competition, and an active mind which must always be occupied. To the Aztecs, tochtli (the rabbit) was associated with the direction South and the deity Xiuhtecuhtli, who is in turn associated with youth, vigor, rulership and warriors. To the Zapotecs of Oaxaca's Monte Alban, the rabbit was associated with the moon, because the silhouette of a leaping rabbit resembles a crescent moon.

Monkey-man reaches for the sky. This figure has the face of a monkey, but the body of a human. He stands with his hands up, palms forward. Since there was no explanation with the piece, it is difficult to say what this posture might mean. However, it is the stance one might take to quiet a crowd, or to supplicate someone angry. In addition to a loincloth, the figure is wearing either a very interesting jacket, or some sort of armor. The Aztec monkey (Ozomatli) was associated with the direction West and the deity Xochipilli, god of music, dance, arts, games, and fun. Perhaps the fellow above is a comedian, quieting the crowd for his next joke.

The Ball Game

Players face off in the famous Mesoamerican ball game. The origin of the Mesoamerican ball game reaches far back into the area's earliest civilizations. Ball courts have been found everywhere from Honduras in Central America, to the Wupatki ruins in northern Arizona. Hard rubber balls, similar to the one shown above, have been found in very early Olmec sites, dating back to 1500 BC. In the scene above, two players fight for possession of the ball. Neither is allowed to touch it with hands or feet. The exact rules of the game are unknown, but in some variations, scoring involved propelling the ball through the ring you can see on the wall in the background. At Chichen Itza, the ring is attached to the wall 6 meters (20 ft) above the ground! Not all courts contained such rings, however.

Game time! The ball player seen above is dressed with a helmet, a waist protector called a yolk, and additional protectors for his left knee and left hand. Such protection was necessary, particularly for the abdomen, because the heavy ball could be propelled with enough force to seriously injure or even kill a player. If that were not enough to give a prospective player pause, team members were sometimes sacrificed after the game. Relief sculptures at Chichen Itza clearly show such beheadings. Nearby the Chichen Itza court is a tzompantli (large stone platform) , sculpted along the sides with hundreds of human skulls. The heads of decapitated players were displayed there. In Tollan, capital of the Toltec Empire north of Mexico City, a tzompantli is also found adjacent to their court. Archaeologists disagree whether it was the losers who were beheaded as a sign of disgrace, or possibly the winners as a way to honor the gods. The actual ball courts themselves were considered living beings, brought to life at their inauguration by the sacrifice of a captive.

Ball player's ceremonial yolk. This heavy stone yolk, decorated with a human face, was clearly for ceremonial purposes because it would have been much too heavy to wear in a game. Actual game yolks were probably a mixture of animal hide and cloth. A version of the ball game, called ullama, is still played by indigenous tribes in Sinaloa State in northwestern Mexico.

Rituals of death

Ancient funeral ceremony. This little piece was touching in its portrayal of reverent grief. On a circular platform about the size of a small pizza, 7 figures are grouped around a body draped with cloth. They sit quietly, but attentively, heads bowed and hands on knees. Death is a mysterious and important process in all cultures, and particularly to ancient people. While the bodies of kings were sometimes buried in great pyramids like that of Pakal the Great at Palenque, lesser people were often buried in or under their houses. The goods buried with the dead have formed one of the best sources of information about these ancient cultures. The burial offerings show what the ancient people considered valuable and important in life. Such offerings often include jewelry, weapons and tools, clothing food, religious images and many other objects.

Elongated skull recovered from an excavated tomb. Mesoamericans, particularly the Maya, used a practice called cranial deformation as a method of social differentiation. This involved binding the skulls of the infants of those in high social classes so that they grew into an elongated shape. That shape marked them as members of the noble class. Cranial deformation has been practiced all over the world, as far back as neolithic times. Among others, it was used by the Choctaw Indians of the Southeast US, the Aborigines of Australia, and the Huns of the steppes of Eastern Europe. While the "civilized" people of today might think such practices barbaric, our cultures practice plastic surgery and liposuction to alter our bodies for purposes of beautification. We are not, in the end, so different from these ancient people.

This concludes Part 5 of my series on Puebla. I hope you have enjoyed the Museum Amparo. If you have any feedback or comments, please leave them either in the Comments section below, or by emailing me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so that I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 4: Pre-hispanic women and the art of daily life at the Amparo Museum

2011-09-26T17:24:00.002-05:00

Maya fertility offering. This beautifully crafted piece shows the great skill of Maya sculptors, who were the best in all Mesoamerica. Small and very realistic, the work above clearly represents a woman of high status, and may have been modeled from a real person. Her headdress includes a jaguar, a symbol of great power. In some Maya city-states such as Palenque, women could become rulers. Sak Kuk, the mother of Pakal the Great, ruled Palenque for 3 years as regent during his childhood, and a woman named Yohl Ik'nal ruled Palenque in her own right for 20 years. The fine sculpture above was on exhibit at the Museo Amparo in Puebla's Centro Historico. The Amparo contains an extensive collection of pre-hispanic objects from all the cultures of Mesoamerica, as well as colonial and modern art. A large timeline, covering a whole wall, shows the relation to one culture or civilization to another. All the major and many of the minor Meso-american cultures are included, from the earliest times to the Conquest. If you visit the museum, it is worth studying the timeline for a bit before viewing the exhibits, because it really helps put things into historical context. For information about the location, hours, and fees of the Museo Amparo, click here.

Tattooed woman is from the Western Highlands of Mexico. Notice the facial tattoos and how they replicate the design on the fabric she wears on her upper body. Her breasts are not covered, as is often the case with such female statues. The designs on her thighs may indicate a knee-length garment, or may represent tattoos. The bulging thighs and hips are typical of sculptures created to express fertility. Marriage and procreation were very important as a way of securing and improving a family's social position in these ancient societies. The filed teeth, elaborate hairstyles, tattooing, and ample hips were all considered marks of beauty. In addition, women of the noble classes took steps to artificially elongate the craniums of their babies so that as adults they would have a different appearance from the common people. The statue above appears to express just such an elongation.

Pregnant figure is nude, except for tattoos, a necklace, and a nose ring. Childbearing was a dangerous rite of passage for both the mother and the baby. As such it was often considered the equivalent to warfare for men. After they had passed childbearing age, women sometimes became mid-wives, a highly respected role. It was believed that midwives were responsible for bringing the child into being.

Women also played important roles in food and textile production. The thin, contemplative figure above was so different from its curvaceous neighbors that I at first took it for a statue of a male. However, upon closer examination, I noticed the small but unmistakeable breasts. In addition to the beautifully designed upper garment, she also wears a small loincloth and a necklace. She sits as if huddling from a chill, wrapped in beautifully designed fabric with her arms covered and crossed at her waist. Textiles like the one above were produced mainly by women. The fabrics were woven out of cotton, feathers, and other natural materials. The Zapotecs of Monte Alban, outside of modern Oaxaca, were famous for their weaving, producing textiles as early as 500 BC. When the Aztecs finally subdued them in the 15th Century AD, woven cloth was one of the key tributes demanded. Not much of the ancient cloth has survived. However, wall murals and statues such the figure above give us an idea of their style and quality, and archaeologists have found women's tool kits for weaving. In addition to childcare and weaving responsibilities, women tended gardens, ground maize on stone trays called metates, cooked, and transported water.

Daily life in ancient Meso-america

An ancient home from Mexico's Western Highlands. The home above is raised above the ground on a platform. Often, villages were sited near water, and homes were placed on such platforms to avoid flooding. The sides are open air, with a tall, steeply sloping roof, painted with a design that is mostly faded. Such roofs would have been made from woven palm fronds, similar to the palapas I see all around the Lake Chapala area. Inside, a man sits cross-legged, leaning forward in apparent anticipation of the meal his wife is preparing before him. These sorts of homely little vignettes have been found all over Western Mexico, usually in tombs. They create a 2000-year old window on the daily life of Mesoamerica's ordinary people.

A man and his pets. Lying on his back on a sort of couch, a man plays with the pet monkey over his head. Meanwhile his little dog perches with its forelegs on the bed, hoping for an invitation to join the fun. One of the things I love about ancient art like this is the personal connection it creates with a people so long gone. My own dear-departed pet dog used to assume just such a position beside our bed, with an identical expression of hopeful anticipation. The posture of the man is relaxed and natural, unlike the formal and stylized portrayals found in temples and palaces. The monkey looks playful as it perches, wearing its little pointed "dunce cap". Unfortunately, its curled tail was apparently broken off.

A beautifully carved stone bowl. You can still see around the rim some of the red paint with which the bowl was originally painted. The carving shows the profile of a reclining figure that appears to be looking into the mouth of a large snake. The fineness of this work is extraordinary given that the artist had no metal tools to cut the rock, and that any mistake would ruin the piece. It is unlikely that such a bowl would have graced the table of a commoner. More likely a wealthy noble or merchant would have commissioned the work. The figure shown might even be a portrait of the owner.

A multi-breasted pot. This odd little piece appears to sprout breasts at each of its four corners. The slanting marks between each set of breasts may represent tattoos. A pot to hold water or food is one of the most common items in all settled societies. In fact, one of the surest signs that a culture has moved from the nomadic, hunter-gatherer stage to a settled, agricultural lifestyle is the presence of pots, usually made from the local clay. A culture that must constantly, or even just periodically, be on the move rarely creates such pots because of weight and breakage. Instead, they specialize in woven containers that are lighter and sturdier. Once people have settled in one location, they can possess articles that may be more fragile and heavier. As the culture develops, the decoration of the pots becomes more elaborate, with painted designs and interesting shapes. Archaeologists often can place a new site in time, and show the geographical extent of a culture, by the pots they find.

Anthropomorphic pot. The term means "resembling a human form". This wonderful little pot is not only painted with lovely designs, but is steadied by a human figure. The attached man is about to pick it up and carry it off, using a "tumpline". This is a strap attached to a heavy burden, which then extends over the top of the head, just back of the hairline. Tumplines have been used to carry heavy objects for thousands of years by cultures all over the world. In Mexico and the rest of Latin America, tumplines are still regularly used, particularly by indigenous people. In Mexico City of recent times, a man used to deliver pianos using a tumpline. On the pot above, the tumpline that extends from the side of the pot to the man's hands cleverly forms handles allowing the container to be easily moved. The pot-man's expression clearly conveys an anticipation of great effort.

Humble, but extremely important household items. The various small bowls are made from clay or carved wood. The brown one on the left is decorated with a snake on the inside. The large, square metate on the right contains a cylindrical stone called a mano, which is moved up and down the surface of the stone metate to grind maize or other grains into powdered form. In the NewWorld, manos and metates originated in the Neolithic Age, probably around 5000 BC. Items virtually identical to these can still be purchased at local hardware stores in my town. They are not tourist knick-knacks, but are functional tools for the kitchen. Manos and metates form a direct, unbroken connection between the Stone Age world and that of the present day.

The manufacture of tools and adornments shows great skill. On top are 3 pieces of jade, one of the most valuable commodities in the ancient world, roughly equivalent to diamonds today. Both jade and diamonds can be used either as personal adornments or as tools, and both are extremely hard and difficult to cut. A further similarity is that fierce wars have been fought to control their sources. The beautifully carved ancient jade that I have seen in the Amparo and elsewhere is especially impressive in that the ancient craftsmen would have had to find stone of even harder quality than the jade in order to do the work. The large blade is probably made of flint which, along with obsidian, was used for cutting tools and weapons such as knife blades, arrowheads, and axes. Both flint and obsidian (volcanic glass) are easily worked through a flaking process. Obsidian blades can be sharper than modern surgical tools.

An early form of printing

A monkey sello. The ancient craftsmen of Mesoamerica invented an early form of printing using sellos (seals) like this. This one shows a gesturing monkey. Sellos have been found everywhere from Teotihuacan (north of Mexico City), to the Maya city-states of the Yucatan and Guatemala. Although they are clearly devices for the reproduction of images, virtually no evidence exists for how they were actually used. Archaeologists have speculated that the ancients used them for decorating clay pots, textiles, bark paper, and even for body painting. However, there are no surviving examples of paper or textiles with identifiable sello prints. Descriptions by early Spanish chroniclers such as Bishop Landa describe body painting, but not with sellos and in fact make no mention of the the devices at all. There are almost no examples of ancient Mesoamerican pottery where sello use can be definitively shown. They remain one of many mysteries of these ancient people.

Sello roller. Numerous types of sellos have been found. Some have animal motifs, and some are abstract. Some are small and flat, like the one in the previous photo, and some were made as rollers like the one shown above. Still others were large, with complex designs, and others had handles and looked a bit like a rectangular clothing iron.

Music and Dance

Beautifully carved conch trumpet. Music in the Mesoamerican world served social, political, and religious purposes. The presence of conch trumpets in many areas far from either the Pacific or the Gulf Coast indicates both their popularity as wind instruments and the efficiency of the vast network of trade routes throughout Mesoamerica, stretching not only from coast to coast, but from the southwestern US to Honduras. Shell trumpets have been found in Western Mexico tombs of the Pre-Classic era (300 BC - 150 AD). In Teotihuacan, the shell trumpets were considered so sacred that the Templo de los Caracoles Emplumados (Temple of the Plumed Conch Shells) was dedicated to them. There, a mural shows a procession of jaguar-headed priests blowing conch shells as they dance. According to mythology about Quetzalcoatl, the Plumed Serpent creator god, he formed the first human beings out of bones from past eras. However, he could not access the bones until he blew the conch trumpet 4 times, once each for the 4 cardinal directions. He was assisted in creating the first conch trumpet by insects that drilled the blow holes for him.

A dancer with nut-shell rattles. This semi-nude and anatomically correct dancer wears only an elaborate headdress, and bunches of rattles attached to his lower legs. Through music and dance, often accompanied by the use of psychotropic drugs, people could attain a trance-like state in which they could contact the world of the gods. The rattles were sometimes made out of nut-shells or of moth cocoons strung together and filled with seeds, pebbles, or fragments from clay pots. Other kinds of percussion instruments included rattles made from gourds, and drums made from carved, hollow logs.

Carved wooden flutes. The first flutes in the Western Hemisphere probably arrived with the Paleo-hunters who crossed the Bering Strait landbridge. Flutes and whistles were manufactured by these people to imitate animal sounds, and some instruments date back to 10,000 BC. It is believed that Maracas (pebble-filled gourd rattles) were developed to encourage rain. The use of sound instruments to influence the natural environment evolved into more complex religious rituals.

Flutist at work. The figure above, from Western Mexico, puffs away on an ancient flute. Beginning in the Pre-Classic period (1200 BC - 300 BC) Mesoamerican people began to manufacture ceramic flutes as well as using wood. They even invented a wind instrument that did not require human breath to create sound. The "whistling vase" was partially filled with water. When moved in particular ways, the vase could produce whistling sounds that were attributed to magic.

A duo of dancers. The Amparo has many displays of dancers, large and small. These two stand in a slightly crouched position, with their arms held in front and wrists crossed. They are dressed identically for the performance. From various painted murals and clay statues, it appears that the musicians often stood in the middle of a circle of dancers. Among the Aztecs, the musicians and dancers who performed during religious rituals were a different group from those who performed for the royal court. The religious performers lived with the priests at the temple complexes and the royal performers lived in the king's household. In many Mesoamerican cultures, the musicians and performers were of the noble classes.

Sacred instruments. Sometimes the instruments, in this case whistles, included animals in their designs. The one on the left appears to have a jaguar, while the one on the right may be a tattooed face or skull. This indicates that they were probably for sacred purposes.

Beautifully carved zoomorphic whistle. A zoomorph is a carving that represents a mythical creature, part man and part animal. The figure on the top of the whistle has 2 legs, 2 arms, and wears a garment with a skirt. The head, however, is definitely from a creature of fantasy. This was my favorite of all the instruments shown at the Museo Amparo. It is about 4 inches long and perhaps 2 inches wide on the circular part. The carving is very fine, and the zoomorph is a fascinating little creature.

This completes Part 4 of my Puebla series. The next part will also be from the Amparo, but will focus on male humans, animals, and fantastic zoomorphs, as well as gods, rulers, and items from the famous Mesoamerican Ball Game. I always welcome comments. If you would like to leave one, please either do so in the Comments section below, or email me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim

Puebla Part 3: Centro Historico's fascinating streets

2011-09-16T23:16:00.002-05:00

Talavera peacock decorates the front of a gallery on a Puebla sidestreet. Puebla's Centro Historico is huge, one of the largest I have encountered in Mexico. On strolls along its streets, block after block of beautifully preserved architectural gems unveil 500 years of the city's history. For much of this history, Puebla has specialized in the manufacture of painted tiles called talavera. Sometimes the designs are abstract and repeated, but other times the tiles are painted and then assembled into pictures like the peacock seen above. Although we drove our car the 655k (406 mi) from our home in Ajijic to Puebla, Carole and I are agreed that future visits will be by long-distance bus. Driving in Puebla is bewildering for the uninitiated. On the other hand, its Centro Historico is a great place to walk, the streets being flat and straight with sidewalks in good condition. While there, we kept our car parked the whole time and hoofed it, except for one time when we used public transportation to visit the neighboring city of Cholula. For a map of the Centro Historico, click here.

Centro Historico's pedestrian-friendly streets

Calle Cinco de Mayo is one of several pedestrian-only streets. While Puebla closes off some streets around the Zócalo to auto traffic on Sundays, others are permanently auto-free. Begining at the northwest corner of the Zócalo and running due north, Calle Cinco de Mayo (5th of May Street) is lined with colonial and 19th Century mansions and other structures that now contain stores of all kinds. Spaced along the walking area are wrought-iron benches and beautiful old lamp posts as well as trees and potted plants. At intervals we encountered what I like to call "vest-pocket parks," small, shady nooks perfect for a short rest. The auto-free zone goes on for a number of blocks, making this street a walker's delight.

Winged dragons support the glass globes of this lamp post. This sort of whimsical design was popular in the late 19th Century during the regime of Porfirio Diaz, Mexico's dictator from 1876-1910. In the background, you can see some of the wrought-iron railings that adorn the second-story windows throughout the Centro Historico. Carole sometimes chides me for taking so many pictures that I end up with 10 times the number I can actually use in my blogs. In a place like Puebla, there is something to photograph almost all the time, in any direction you choose to look. The expression "kid in a candy store" gives some sense of my delight in the photographic possibilities.

I also found the area good for "people shots." At certain times of the day, the pedestrian streets are mobbed, and attract sidewalk vendors like the balloon man above. Crowd shots can be difficult, because everyone tends to be in motion. Fortunately, I have a setting on my camera called a motor-drive where I can just focus on a scene and press the shutter release which then rapidly clicks off shots. Later, I can go through and pick out the best one. In this one, I was able to capture the tall column of the balloons in the background, with the smiling couple strolling towards me in the foreground. I think this photo captures the color and activity that one finds on Calle Cinco de Mayo.

Casa de los Muñecos

Architecture as a political cartoon. La Casa de los Muñecos (The House of Dolls) is an 18th Century mansion whose facade froze in time a political feud. Like many places in Mexico, this building has a wonderful story behind it, one that may or may not be true, but is so good it must be recounted. In 1531, shortly after Puebla was founded, the property in this prime spot near the northeast corner of the Zócalo was awarded to Captain Juan Ochoa de Elejalde, one of the original conquistadors. Eventually it passed into the hands of the Count of Castelo, Don Andres de Pardiñas. Needing funds in 1784, the Count sold the valuable property to a man with the ten-dollar name of Don Agustín de Ovando y Cáceres Ledesma y Villavicencio. He was extremely wealthy and wanted a house to show it off. None of the other mansions around the Zócalo at the time rose more than 2 stories high. More importantly, neither did the Palacio Municipal (City Hall) across the street. Don Agustín decided his house must have 3 stories. The announcement of his proposal provoked an uproar.

The Muñecos, or dolls, cavort across the front of the building. Talavera designs had become very popular as a way of decorating the exterior walls of homes and buildings by the 18th Century in Puebla. The City Council was outraged that anyone would dare to build something higher than the Palacio Municipal and saw this as an assault on their authority and presige. They sued and caused a considerable delay in the construction. Don Agustín ultimately appealed to the Spanish King, who granted him special permission to add the 3rd floor he desired. No doubt Don Agustín's wealth helped grease the way. In revenge for the delay and extra expense they had caused him, he commissioned 16 special talavera panels depicting members of the Council as buffoons. The panels were clearly visible from the windows of the Council's chamber across the street. Council members were apoplectic, but could do nothing, and these talavera tile political cartoons still amuse passersby more than 200 years later. Ironically Don Agustín never lived in the house, but rented it out as apartments and stores. Eventually, in 1984, the property was acquired by the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (BUAP) a large public university based in Puebla. Restored by the university, the Casa de los Muñecos is now a museum and art gallery.

Casa del Alfeñique

A house named after candy. Alfeñique is a type of candy similar to meringue, made of sugar and egg-whites. The white trim on the eves and around the windows and doors of the Casa de Alfeñique closely resemble the favorite candy of the wife of Ignacio Morales, the man who built the house in 1791. He was the wealthy owner of an iron-works and commissioned architect Antonio de Santa Maria Inchaurregui to build the house this way to humor his girlfriend. She had refused to marry him unless he built her a house of candy.

The white plaster "alfeñique" seems almost to drip off the eves. Above, you can also see the talavera tile work and the beautifully shaped wrought-iron railing around the balconies. The balconies were probably made in Sr. Morales own factory. The home remained in the Morales family until 1874.

The windows are also surrounded by the intricately shaped white plaster. In 1896, Alejandro Ruíz Olavarrieta, a public spirited citizen of Puebla, ceded the house to the City of Puebla. The building went through some hard times but was restored in 1926 and opened as Puebla's first museum. Among the 500 items in the various exhibits are a painting of the Battle of Puebla (Cinco de Mayo), maps and other documents, and examples of period clothing including China Poblana, a style that became extremely popular in Puebla and throughout Mexico in the 19th Century. Open 10 AM - 5 PM, Tuesday through Sunday.

Teatro Principal

Teatro Principal is the oldest theater in the Americas. It is built around Plazuela San Francisco in the central eastern part of the Centro Historico. Work on the original theater began in 1742 but dragged on so long that the City Council despaired of its completion. Finally they commissioned the master architect José Miguel de Santa Maria, and master carpenter José García Serrano to finish the job. Their plans were approved in 1759, and the theater was opened during Easter Week in 1761. Teatro Principal is the oldest theater in the Americas and it is considered a jewel of architecture. However, by the beginning of the 19th Century, there were not sufficient theater company renters, so the facility began to sponsor other kinds of performances including puppets, jugglers, and acrobats. Between 1812-1814, the theater was closed by the City Council as offensive to God. For a time, the patio in front was used as an artillery park. Then it hosted bull fights, with subsequent damage to some of its furnishings.

Interior of Teatro Principal. The interior has four levels of boxes built in a U shape around the general seating area. The theater was closed when we visited, but we persuaded an attendant to let us take photos. After the bull fighting era, the theater began to show light operas from Spain until the end of the 19th Century. In 1902, Teatro Prinicpal was heavily damaged in a fire. From then, through the years of the Revolution and the turmoil that followed, the theater remained in ruins. Finally, in 1937, restoration began, and Teatro Principal reopened in 1940. However, by 1950 it was again in ruins, and it was not until 1959 that restoration work began and the present building was reopened in 1960.

La Casa de los Hermanos Serdan

Where the Revolution began. The house above belonged to the Serdan family in 1910. Aquiles Serdán, his brother Máximo, and a friend named Jesús Nieto were killed here on November 18 in a desperate defense of the house. 400 police and soldiers had come to seize arms hidden in preparation for the beginning of the Revolution scheduled for November 20. Aquiles Serdán had been an early ally of Francisco Madero, who was calling for the overthrow of the dictator Porfirio Diaz. In addition to Madero, Serdán had been in touch with guerilla leader Emiliano Zapata who had launched his own revolt in nearby Morelos State. Aquiles' brother Máximo and sister Carmen were also actively involved in the political underground. Aquiles' wife and mother were both at the house on November 18 but apparently took no active part in the fighting.

Bullet holes from the furious battle remain after more than 100 years. Unfortunately for the Serdán family, informers were everywhere and someone tipped Puebla police chief Miguel Cabrera. He mobilized his forces and attempted to take the house and its cache of weapons, but the Serdáns fiercely resisted. In the end, Aquiles, Máximo, and Jesús Nieto were all killed. Carmen was wounded as she bravely harangued a crowd of spectators below one of the windows you see above. Thus, two days before its officially intended start, the Mexican Revolution began. Ironically, one hundred years before, the War of Independence also got an unplanned start in 1810 when its leadership were betrayed and forced into hasty action. Today, streets all over Mexico are named for Aquiles Serdan, his martyred brother Máximo, and Carmen his brave sister. Carmen survived the siege, was jailed by Diaz, and released when he was overthrown by Madero. Later, after Madero was assassinated in a counter-coup, Carmen worked as a field nurse for the Revolutionary army of Emiliano Zapata. She lived until 1948. The Serdán house is now the Museum of the Mexican Revolution, open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM to 5 PM.

A university neighborhood

Colegio de San Jerónimo, part of BUAP. I wandered into this campus building a few blocks from the Zócalo, curious to see if Mexico's university neighborhoods would have a similar feel to those I remembered from the United States. The answer is a definite yes, but the students looked incredibly young. Perhaps I am just getting incredibly old. Memory is a funny thing. Still, the atmosphere was the same: youthful, earnest, idealistic, and anxious about doing well. Benemérita Universidad Autónomo de Puebla (BUAP) is a huge state-owned school that has autonomous control over its curriculum and functions, hence the name. BUPA originated as a Jesuit school of higher education, founded in 1587 as the Colegio del Espiritu Santo at the request of the Puebla City Council. It remained under Jesuit control, with some interruptions, until the end of the colonial period. In 1825 it became a public college, and in 1937 a public university. Most of its buildings are former colonial religious facilities. However, the building seen above was once the home where Mexican poet Rafael Cabrera was born in 1884.

University neighborhood street. The two-story colonial buildings of Calle 6 Sur (South 6th St.) were filled with little galleries, restaurants, antique shops, and crafts stores. The colors were a delightful mixture of pastels, definitely a great place for an afternoon stroll. I recalled reading an article in the Puebla newspaper (I read Spanish pretty fluently now) about the recent publication of the names of those accepted into BUAP. The article was accompanied by photos of the joyous smiles of those who made it and the tears of those who didn't. A BUAP degree in one of the professions can mean a ticket into Mexico's affluent middle class. The stakes are high in a country where the working poor live hard lives.

Galeria de las Casas. I was attracted to the vibrant colors of this little gallery, formerly the comfortable home of a middle class colonial merchant. The talevera panel to the left of the main door is the same one shown at the beginning of this posting.

A talavera frog investigates a tasteful sign, also in talavera. I like talavera best when it is used to accent, rather than dominate, the facade of a building. This sign formed the address of the Galeria de las Casas, owned by Elizabeth Joyas (see previous photo).

An eclectic collection. You could buy anything here from a child's toy dump truck, to a backpack, to a suit of armor. I was rather partial to the armor, myself. It's just what every well-dressed gentleman needs.

And, of course, the ubiquitous college bar. What would any campus neighborhood be without the local college bar. In this case it was filled to capacity with the late afternoon student crowd, relaxing from their final classes. How many of these did I bend my elbow in, during my own college years? As with many such bars in Puebla, it is on the second floor with balconies overlooking the street.

A tribute to John Lennon. I was touched to find this small plaque outside Colegio San Jerónimo dedicated to ex-Beatle John Lennon and his song "Give Peace a Chance." The sign says "Puebla recognizes John Lennon (1940-1980) for his musical, cultural, and humanistic contribution to the world. 'Give Peace a Chance'." It was placed there by the Puebla City Council in 2006. Lennon and his music seem to be still quite popular in Mexico. I have often walked down a street in Ajijic where I live, past a humble working class Mexican home only to hear the strains of Lennon's song "Imagine" or another of his hits. Some things and people seem to be universal in their appeal.

This completes Part 3 of my Puebla series. Next week we'll take a look at some of the wonderful pre-hispanic artifacts to be found in Puebla's famous Amparo Museum. If you would like to comment on this or any other of my postings, please do so either in the Comments section below or by emailing me directly.

If you leave a question in the Comments section, PLEASE leave your email address so that I can respond.

Hasta luego, Jim