Etzatlán Adventure Part 7: Archaeologists unearth the mysterious ruins at Palacio de Ocomo

Palacio de Ocomo is another of Western Mexico's unique archaeological sites. Above, you can see three successive layers to the walls, the most recent running along the bottom. This wall is a staggering 125 meters (410 ft.) long, and the other 3 sides are of equal length. Arguably, Palacio de Ocomo is the largest palace of its kind in all of Mesoamerica. There are some claims that the palace of Moctezuma at Tenochtitlán was larger, but since much of that structure is buried under modern Mexico City, this cannot be verified. Archaeologists used to consider Western Mexico a backwater lacking in sites worth investigation. However, the Etzatlán area possesses three kinds of archaeological remains that are unique to Mesoamerica: the Shaft Tombs (Part 5 of this series), the circular pyramids and huge ball court at the Guachimontanes (Part 6), and the vast Palacio de Ocomo. In my research on Etzatlán, I had read about archaeological projects under way in the area. Accordingly, I emailed the local Oficina Turistica to arrange a visit for my party during our two-day adventure. The tourist office provided a guide to Palacio de Ocomo and persuaded the chief archaeologist to give us a tour. The Palacio is located in the the pueblo of Oconahua, about 10.6 kilometers (6.6 mi.) west of Etzatlán, to the the south of Highway 4. For a Google map showing Etzatlán and Oconahua, click here.

Our group got an excellent tour from the young archaeologist in charge. Sean Monte Marquez Smith (far right) obligingly walked us through the entire site. It was well he did. Although American archaeolgists Phil Weigand and his wife Acelia first alerted the scientific world about Palacio de Ocomo in 1958, it was not until 2007 that any significant work began. At present, the only part of the site that has been substantially restored is the long north wall, seen above in the background. Some exploratory holes have been dug, and workers have filled many sacks with pottery shards. Without a knowledgable guide such as Sean, it would have been difficult to appreciate the site's significance. The ancient city covered 500-600 hectares (1235-1452 acres) on a rolling plateau at the base of steep mountains. The Palacio was a huge complex with in the city, encompassing about 50,000 cubic meters (164,042 cubic ft.).

Part of the uncovered but, as yet, unrestored north wall. An uneducated eye would easily pass over something like this. In the late 1950s, local residents told Weigand about old ruins they called "Ocomo", and when he investigated he was intrigued by the site's unusual size. While farming their lands and building their houses, the locals had turned up many artifacts, including polychrome vessels and semi-precious turquoise jewelry. Tests showed that the turquoise originated in Cerrillos, New Mexico, near Santa Fe. This clearly indicates that the ancient people of Palacio Ocomo were involved the Mesoamerican trade network that extended all the way from the US Southwest to Honduras.

Sean explains how a dig proceeds. Sean is an engaging and highly intelligent young man whose work is sponsored by a university in Michoacan. His father is American and his mother is Mexican, so he speaks both languages well. Archaeology is a science that requires great patience and attention to detail. Workers sometimes use toothbrush-sized implements to painstakingly remove the earth from artifacts. Looters, by contrast, are only interested in what they can sell. Their crudely-used shovels and picks often destroy the most important aspects of a site. The items they recover lose much of their meaning when removed from the context. Fortunately, most of Palacio Ocomo is still buried, and its obscurity has left it largely unlooted. Local people were suspicious of the intentions of Weigand and other scientists at first, and it took almost 50 years for archaeologists to get permission to proceed.

The further west we moved along the wall, the more dilapidated it became. According to the local people, there used to be many stelae (upright blocks of carved stone) in the area. Some had carvings showing feathered head dresses. However, in 1890 a Franciscan priest appeared and denounced the stelae as works of the devil. He ordered that they be destroyed and the remains thrown in the local creek. Residents managed to keep some artifacts safe in their homes, but Weigand found fragments in the creek that verify the stories about the priest. The outside walls shown above had an adobe core faced with stone which may have been plastered or stuccoed. The sides of the walls facing the courtyard may have either been plastered or finished with cantera stone.

A sunken lane was built by farmers right through the main Palacio site. Some of the stones in the walls lining the road no doubt came from ancient structures just under the earth. So, what went on here? In ancient times a palace like this was called a tecpan. Similar--but smaller--palaces have been found in other areas of Mesoamerica. Moctezuma's tecpan was extensively described by Hernán Cortés in letters to the King of Spain. Because the overall outlines of Palacio de Ocomo so closely resemble these other tecpans, archaeologists speculate that the activities conducted at the Oconahua site would have been similar. Behind the thick stone walls was a large sunken courtyard. Around the courtyard would have been rooms for the ruler and his wives and children, as well as for the nobility and priestly class who administered the temporal and religious affairs of the kingdom. Historians, philosophers, and poets would also have used the maze of corridors and meeting rooms for their activities. The royal treasury would have been kept here, and other rooms would have contained weapons. Still other spaces would have been maintained for the various palace functionaries and for visitors.

A heap of loose stone covered by vegetation conceals more ruins. Sean confirmed that this was an unexcavated Palacio structure. When intact, structures like this would have been stuccoed and painted beautifully. Palacio Ocomo flourished between 500-1100 AD. At its peak, the Palacio and its environs may have contained as many as 8,000 people. The present population of Oconahua is 2000. The civilization that built the Palacio and its surrounding city was probably the same one which caused the downfall of the Teuchitlán culture (see Part 6). Archaelogists note that construction suddenly stopped on circular structures like those of the Guachimontones. Thereafter, only squared structures like those found at and around Palacio Ocomo were built. The abruptness of the change suggests a conquest.

Below the north wall, a broad, flat plaza stretches out, bounded by a stone wall. The wall was probably built by post-Conquest farmers and contains many stones from the ancient ruins. Beyond the stone wall is the arroyo in which the stelae fragments were found. On the other side of the arroyo, rolling hills rise up. On these, the ancients built their homes and planted their fields. The archaeologists have been digging in four sites within about 300 meters (984 ft.) of the Palacio. At least one of the sites contains ancient homes around a sunken courtyard.

The foundations of an ancient pyramid lie underneath the church above. As was their usual practice, the Spanish dismantled the pyramid and used its stones to build the church. Other ancient buildings are not available for excavation because residents homes or small stores are built over them. Palacio Ocomo, on the other hand, is largely located on the pasture land you can see in the foreground. Notice how the spurs of the mountains in the background come down to the very edge of the town.

A burro grazes contentedly on pasture covering the south side of the Palacio. The wall in the background probably contains many stones retrieved from the ancient structure. The people who built the Palacio were fairly advanced for their time. They used the newly-introduced bow and arrow and worked with copper. They also seemed to have discovered how to work iron. In this they were more advanced than the later Aztecs who had no knowledge of iron at the time the Spanish arrived.

Sean showed us a broken piece of ancient pottery recovered from the site. There were several decorative styles but all of it was geometric in design. Numerous bags of potsherds were stacked inside the vacant house the archaeologists use as a workshop. On a rustic plywood table, he spread out a selection for us to examine.

Polychrome potsherds. It was not clear to me whether these pieces came from the same or several different pots. However, the design was attractive and the paint was still bright and colorful after 1000 years of burial. Plans for the Palacio Ocomo include planting a screen of trees around the site to maintain its sense of seclusion. There is also talk of changing the approach to the site to create a more dramatic entrance. While most of the Palacio is still underground, I still found it fascinating. As an active archaeological dig, new discoveries are turning up regularly. The archaeologists are using high technology such as ground penetrating radar to identify the places to dig, and have already detected a possible grave site.

This pet deer appeared to be the mascot of the site. Its tiny antlers indicate that the deer was apparently not much older than a fawn. The creature seemed a little anxious about the sudden flood of unfamiliar people as my 12-member party filed through. The mountains that rise immediately in back of Oconahua are no doubt thick with such deer.

Tot and horse commune on the doorstep of a local tienda. The little adobe store is located right across the street from the archaeologists' workshop. The photographer in me found the scene irresistible. Except for the Coca Cola sign and the electric meter, this had the appearance of something right out of the 19th Century. Much of rural Mexico has that antique feel.

This completes Part 7 of my Etzatlán Adventure series, and brings the series itself to an end. I hope I have given you incentives to visit Etztatlán. As I said in Part 1, the town of Etzatlán, and the area around it, are a largely undiscovered jewel full of things to do and see. I would advise contacting the Oficina Turistico (turismo_etzatlan@hotmail.com) beforehand or when you arrive so that you can arrange for a guide. However, the directions and maps I have provided should allow you to see things on your own, if you so choose. I always appreciate feedback from my blog viewers. If you would like to do so, 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

Etzatlán Adventure Part 6: The unique circular pyramids called Guachimontones

The Guachimontones are a unique set of ancient ruins not far from Etzatlán. Seen above is the circular pyramid of Conjunto 2, the second-largest--and best preserved--of the Guachimontones' several pyramids. The ruins are located on a plateau overlooking the small town of Teuchitlán on Highway 4, about 20 minutes by car to the east of Etzatlán. In fact, someone traveling to Etzatlán from Lake Chapala or Guadalajara will have to pass right by the town on the way. I noted this while preparing for a couple of my Etzatlán trips, particularly since several of my companions had never visited the Guachimontones.  The photos in this posting were taken on three different occasions, leading to the differing appearances of the vegetation. Teuchitlán is about 1.5 hours west of Lake Chapala's Ajijic, and about 1 hour west of Guadalajara. To locate the town and ruins on a Google map, click here.


Overview

Aerial view of the Conjunto 2 complex. This photo appears on the large sign at the entrance to the ruins. It helps give a sense of how the circular pyramids and their surrounding platform circles are laid out. The circular aspect is what makes the Guachimontones unique in Mexico, and perhaps in the world. They were discovered in 1970 by archaeologist Phil Weigand and his historian wife Arcelia Garcia. Weigand died only a few months ago, and I regret never having had the opportunity to meet him. The ancient people who created the site are part of what is called the Teuchitlán culture, named after the nearby town. The Guachimontones ceremonial site flowered as early as 200 AD, and was suddenly abandoned about 900 AD. The Teuchitlán culture is related to the culture of the Shaft Tomb people seen in Part 5 of this series.  About 200 sites with a similar plan to this one were built in Western Mexico in many of the same areas that the Shaft Tombs were found. However, construction of Shaft Tombs stopped approximately 600 AD, three centuries before the the Teuchitlán tradition disappeared. Because of looting at the Shaft Tombs and destruction at Teuchitlán culture sites like the Guachimontones (parts of which were used for local building materials) the connection between the two is not entirely understood.

Site map of the Guachimontanes. This map gives a sense of the whole site, at least that part which has been excavated to date. The area shown above covers about 19 hectares (47 acres). The total site must be very much larger, since at its peak the ancient population may have reached 40,000 people. Conjuncto 2 is the center pyramid of the 3 largest circular complexes seen above in a rough diagonal line from top right to bottom left. Conjunto 1, the largest pyramid, has not been fully excavated. Between Conjunto 1 and 2 is a long narrow slot which was the largest of two ball courts. Overlooking the north end of the Ball Court is Conjunto 4, which consists of an altar surrounded by 6 platforms. Conjuncto 3, on the lower left, is the smallest of the 3 central pyramid complexes. The map also shows several other outlying ruins which are partially excavated. Our guide told us that additional, unexcavated, circular pyramids can be found on the other side of the large hill which overlooks this site. (Photo of a sign near the Guachimontones' museum).

What the Guachimontones may have looked like when inhabited. Seen above in the foreground is Conjunto 2. Behind it is Conjuncto 1. The pyramids have staircases leading to their tops on 4 sides, corresponding to the 4 cardinal directions. Set into the top level of Conjuncto 2 is a high pole, the hole for which was discovered by archaeologists. Some of the other pyramids had similar holes. The archaeologists speculate that the poles were used by voladores (flyers). Clay sculptures from Shaft Tombs appear to portray this practice, which involved priests who hung by ropes and spun around the poles. The ceremony may have been part of the devotions to Ehécatl, the wind god. It is believed that the circular shapes of the pyramids are related to the fact that the wind blows from every direction. Ehécatl is associated with Quetzalcoatl, the creator-god worshiped throughout Mesoamerica. The structures on top of the rectangular platforms surrounding the pyramids were made of perishable materials and so did not survive to the present. However, the creators of this model used the clay Shaft Tomb sculptures of houses and buildings as their guide for what these structures would have looked like. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

Horses peacefully graze where a city of thousands once teemed. The ceremonial center sits on a broad plateau on the side of a high hill overlooking the town of Teuchitlán (above, background). In the distance, just out of sight to the left, is a large lake used by the ancients (as well as present inhabitants) for water and fishing. The land immediately around the ruins has been farmed for centuries. Plowing has unearthed artifacts but has also destroyed some aspects of the site. It is believed that the area within the ruins was restricted to nobility and the priesthood, except on special religious occasions. Most of the ancient people lived at the bottom of the hill, in and around modern-day Teuchitlán. Trade in salt brought from the flats around Sayula to the south was a major economic activity in ancient times. Another was obsidian production. There are more than 1000 ancient obsidian mines in the area, and the people used the volcanic glass to produce knives, spearheads, mirrors, jewelry, and macahuitls, or flat-bladed swords. Supposedly, the macahuitls could chop off a leg or an arm with a single blow.

Blue Agave growing near the ruins. Blue Agave is one of the many species of maguey. The ancient people cultivated agave, just as their modern counterparts do. They used it for the production of a mildly alcoholic beverage called pulque, as well as for fibre to make clothing, baskets, and sandals. Today, the Blue Agave is used almost exclusively to produce the many varieties of Jalisco's fine tequila, named after the nearby town of Tequila. The ancient people also operated an extensive irrigation system including canals, dams, floodgates, and chinampas, or floating gardens. The chinampas were similar those used later by the Aztecs near their capital of Tenochitlán (modern Mexico City). This irrigation system is considered one of the most sophisticated in Mesoamerica and would certainly have been necessary to feed the estimated population of 40,000.


Conjunto 2: The Central Pyramid

The pyramid of Conjunto 2 mimics the cloud-covered Tequila Volcano seen behind. This pyramid is constructed with 13 steps up to a platform which contains an additional 4 steps. The total structure is 18 meters (60 ft.) tall. It was not unusual for the ancients to construct pyramids so that they followed the lines of adjacent mountains. The Pyramid of the Moon at Teotihuacan is designed the same way.

Circling the Conjunto 2 pyramid are 10 rectangular platforms. Many of the platforms, like the one seen in the background, have steps leading up to their tops. The platforms are constructed with 2 to 4 levels. Originally the top level of the platforms contained buildings made of wood with thatched roofs. These buildings may have been connected to particular elite families or lineage groups. Separating the platforms from the pyramid is a broad walkway, or patio, about 360 meters (1181 ft.) in circumference. Archaeologists speculate that large numbers of people gathered on these platforms and in the patios to witness the volador ceremonies.

Another view of the Conjunto 2 platforms. My friend Diana happened to be walking by when I took the photo, and her presence provides a handy sense of scale.


The Ball Court and Sacrificial Platform

The Ball Court is one of the largest in Mesoamerica. In the photo above, I am standing at the north end looking directly down the middle. The far end is 111 meters (364 ft.) away, and is bounded by the trees seen in the distant background. This ball court is surpassed in size only by the Great Ball Court of the Maya at Chichen Iza in Yucatan. In addition to entertaining the population, the ball games were used to settle important political and economic issues. Some of the other ball courts in Mesoamerica have rings set into their sides, with points scored by passing the ball through them. No such rings exist at this court, so the rules must have been somewhat different.

Sloping shelves line the two sides of the court. Diana and Mike, seen above, were two of the people who accompanied me on my second visit to the Etzatlán area. The surface they are walking on was part of the playing field. It is gently sloped from the vertical wall on the left down to the sunken central lane. A tree now grows in the middle of the playing field, seen to the right of Diana. Clay sculptures found in Shaft Tombs portray the game as it was played here. Spectators lined the walls at the sides and each end. The players used their hips to propel a heavy stone ball covered with rubber. This may explain the high number of broken pelvises found in burials in the area.

The Platform of Sacrifices. The remains of eight human sacrifices were found buried in this platform at the south end of the court. Archaeologists speculate that these sacrifices were done in conjunction with the game. According to some theories, it was the winning team's captain who was sacrificed. This was considered a great honor and a celebration of his achievement.


Conjunto 1: The Buried Pyramid

Conjuncto 1 contains the largest of the pyramids at the site. The photo above shows how the Guachimontones site must have looked to Phil Weigand and his wife when they first arrived. What they found seemed little more than rounded heaps of stone, covered by trees. These hillocks gave the site its name. Guachi trees grow on the montones (heaps) of stone. The imposing size of this pyramid is difficult to appreciate because at the moment I took the photo, I lacked of a person or object to give it scale.

Heading to the top. Above, the group I came with on my third visit heads up a switchback path to the summit of the pyramid. This photo provides a bit more sense of scale. My friends still have fair a way to go to get the top. On this side, more excavation has been performed and the heap begins to look more like a man-made structure. There were originally 4 staircases leading up to the top of this pyramid, corresponding to the cardinal directions.

We encountered a rough wall on the way to the top. Unlike the carefully fitted stone of the Conjunto 2 pyramid, the structure here is still pretty much in the condition in which it was found. The building materials used in the pyramid were stone, lime, and clay. The top can be seen in the background, still some distance up.

View from the top of Conjunto 1. Through the Guachi trees, the pyramid of Conjunto 2 can be seen, along with one of its surrounding platforms. Teuchitlán is visible in the distance. When the Conjunto 1 pyramid was in good condition, without trees or other obstructions to block the view, the visual effect must have been powerful. Buried beneath the top of the Conjunto 1 pyramid, archaeologists found the grave of an important ancestor, perhaps one of the founders. The Conjuncto 1 complex is the oldest part of the Guachimontones.


Other Conjuntos

Two more of my party descend from Conjunto 5. Dave (left) and Larry (right) are hiking buddies who came along on our second venture to Etzatlán. Conjunto 5, at the extreme north end of the site, is still mostly unexcavated. I didn't have time to do more than catch this quick shot. On a future visit, I want to look this site over more carefully, along with some other ruins on the fringes.

Stairway to heaven. A broad set of stairs leads up to Conjunto 4. They arrive at a wide flat platform with a view overlooking the Ball Court, the pyramids, and a good bit of the surrounding countryside.

Platform of Conjunto 4. In the center of the platform is a low, square, stone altar. In the background, high mountains rise, and on the far left you can glimpse the blue lake.

Conjunto 3 is the smallest of the three central complexes. There are only 4 levels and the structure is probably not more than 2 meters (6.5 ft) tall. However, a pit was found on the top level, no doubt for the volador pole. Several platforms surround this pyramid, but most are small and not in good condition.  Conjunto 2 can be seen in the background through the trees.


Pelicans, aqueducts, and frogs' legs

Lake Teuchitlán stretches south from the town, across Highway 4. The lake is shaped like a long, thin wedge, with the wide part on the north end. It extends on a north-south axis and is about 8 kilometers (5 mi.) long and about 3.2 kilometers (2 mi.) wide at the widest. Highway 4, and Teuchitlán, run along the north side. The lake is home to a wide variety of birds, including White Pelicans, Great White and Snowy Egrets, American Coots, seagulls, and many others. Above, a motley congregation of chirpers and squawkers gathers on the stump of an old aqueduct.

The remains of an old hacienda aqueduct stretch out from the shore. The water near the shore is thick with green lirio, or water hyacinth, a non-native and highly invasive species introduced by 19th Century hacienda owners as decoration for their garden ponds. It grows incredibly fast and today is considered a major pest.

Soky's Restaurant, on the lakefront. Just before reaching Teuchitlán on Highway 4, heading west, is a side road that leads south along the east side of the lake. Side-by-side restaurants line the road, most serving excellent meals at reasonable prices. They possess an ambiance that is hard to beat on a sunny afternoon. I would suggest visiting the Guachimontones during the cool morning, then retreating to one of these restaurants for a great lunch during the mid-day heat. Most days, you can easily find a table right on the water at Soky's or any of the other restaurants.

Mike recommends the frogs' legs. My friend Mike is an adventurous sort and, upon finding frogs' legs on the menu, immediately decided to try them. He hugely enjoyed them and even persuaded a few of us to give it a go. They are locally caught and really quite tasty!

This completes Part 6 of my Etzatlán series. I am always happy to receive comments if you are so inclined. Please leave your message in the Comments section below, or send me a return email.

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

Hasta luego, Jim

Etzatlán Adventure Part 5: The Shaft Tomb People

Display of Shaft Tomb contents in Etzatlán's Centro Cultural museum. Skeletons with typical grave goods are among the displays in this little gem of a museum. Most of the artifacts in the museum were recovered from grave sites called Tumbas de Tiro, or Shaft Tombs. One of most important of these tombs was found in 1955 on the former lands of the ex-Hacienda de San Sebastian (see Part 4 of this series). This posting, and the two that follow, will focus on three successive pre-hispanic cultures. The people of these cultures inhabited the area in and around Etzatlán beginning more than 2000 years before the Spanish arrived in 1524. There were other cultures in the area during that time, but these are the ones that left the most accessible traces, including tombs, pyramids, and palaces.

Shaft Tombs have been found in three of Mexico's western states. They lie in an arc extending from Colima in the south, up through the Lake Chapala area in Jalisco, and over to coastal Nayarit. The tombs are often found in groups, including as many 50 in a site. Using scientific measuring techniques, including radiocarbon dating, archaeologists have placed some of the tombs as early as 400 BC and others to as late as 600 AD. This 1200 year time frame stretches from the end of the Olmec era to the fall of Teotihuacan. In European terms, it spans the time between Classical Greece and the beginning of the Dark Ages. According to "Sculpture of Ancient West Mexico", published jointly by the Los Angeles Museum of Art and the University of New Mexico Press, Western Mexico's Shaft Tombs are unique in ancient Mesoamerica. 

El Centro Cultural

Statues of two Great White Herons grace the fountain in the Centro's courtyard. The museum is only one part of the Centro Cultural. Other parts include offices, an auditorium for lectures and performances,  and a display of more modern artifacts from the 19th and early 20th Centuries. Live versions of the herons can be found wading and fishing in Lago de Magdalena, just west of Etzatlán (see Part 2). The museum is located in the Centro Cultural on Calle Escobedo, about a block east of the Presidencia Municipal (City Hall), and just around the corner from the Plaza Armas (also called Plaza Escobedo).

A small cannon sits next to the fountain in the courtyard. At first I thought it was a remnant of some 19th Century conflict. However, Sr. Carlos E. Parra Ron, our guide, told us that it was used to shoot up fireworks in fiestas during the old days. Sr. Carlos works at the Centro Cultural and is Etzatlán's official historian. The city provided his services as a guide for our party of 12 foreign visitors, as well as English-speaking translators since Sr. Carlos speaks only Spanish. To our astonishment, all this came free of charge. However, we tipped everyone generously for their hard work.


The ancient people: funerals and tombs

An ancient funeral procession. A corpse is carried on an elaborate palanquin by pall bearers accompanied by a small, four-legged armadillo-like creature. No one knows what these people called themselves, and almost the only traces left of their presence in the area are the contents of the Shaft Tombs. However, those contents provide us with a remarkable picture of how the people saw themselves, and how they conducted their daily lives. Unlike many other famous cultures of Mexico's ancient past, these people did not focus their sculptural efforts on gods, kings, and the nobility. Instead, their creations reveal the day-to-day activities of ordinary people. They show how they dressed and adorned themselves, and how they lived and interacted with one another, including funerary rites like those seen above.

Another of the museum's tomb displays. Found with the skeleton were numerous objects from daily life, such as a stone mano and metate for grinding corn and other seeds, seen at the upper left. Virtually identical manos and metates can be found in many small-town hardware stores in Mexico. These are sold as normal household utensils for the kitchen. I am amazed that this Neolithic technology is still in daily use, more than 5,000 years after it was invented. Also shown are various pots and dishes, a selection of obsidian cutting tools, and some small animal sculptures.

Design of a Shaft Tomb found near Etzatlán. As with most such tombs it was built with a vertical shaft (hence the name) cut down through volcanic tuff called tepetate. The depths of the shafts from the surface range from 4.6 meters (15 ft.) to more than 15 meters (50 ft.), and the number of chambers range from 1 to 5. The depth is particularly impressive given that the only digging tools available were sharpened sticks, rocks, and animal bones. In the tomb shown above, there are three large compartments connected by tunnels. After a burial, the shaft would be filled in up to the surface, and covered by a stone slab. At some shaft tombs, remnants of what may have been shrines were found covering the surface entrance. The Shaft Tomb found at ex-Hacienda de San Sebastian is about 7 kilometers (4.3 mi.) from Etzatlán and lies 16 meters (52 ft.) below the surface. The tomb chamber is 4.2 X 3.9 meters (14 ft. X 12.8 ft.) and is tall enough that a man could walk upright in it. (Design above from "Sculpture of Ancient West Mexico").

Skeleton of a child, found with one of the adult skeletons. The shaft tombs often contained more than one burial. Whether the tombs were periodically reopened for further burials is a matter of dispute among archaeologists. Sometimes a shaft tomb will have multiple chambers. Unfortunately, most have been thoroughly looted and the contents sold to collectors. Some of these collections are in Mexican museums, but many ended up in private collections in foreign countries. Because of the looting, it is difficult to establish time frames and contexts, and much of what we know about the Shaft Tomb people is limited by this. Ex-Hacienda de San Sebastian's Shaft Tomb contained the bones of nine adults (2 males and 7 females). In addition, the remains of 2 fetuses were uncovered, as well as a substantial amount of grave goods. The tomb was built somewhere between 100 BC and 100 AD, roughly the time of Julius Caesar and the life of Christ. Unfortunately, for safety reasons, visitors are no longer allowed to enter the tomb, but the museum does a good job in portraying its contents.

Burial arrangement of a Shaft Tomb in Nayarit. The vertical shaft represented by the square on the right is connected to the burial chamber on the left by a short tunnel. The bodies were arranged with their heads to the walls and their feet to the center of the chamber, like the spokes of a wheel. Remains of children were deposited in small piles. (Design from "Sculpture of Ancient West Mexico")

The people who built the shaft tombs

Seated warrior from Shaft Tomb near Etzatlán. The warrior wears a crested helmet, possibly of wood or wicker. Around his body he wears wicker armor, shaped like a cylinder. In his hands he brandishes a club or a short spear. A large replica of this warrior stands guard over the entrance road to Etzatlán from Highway 4. The stance, weapon and armor of the warrior are similar to many found through out the area of the Shaft Tombs. The number of warrior figures found, and the level to which they were armed and armored, indicates that this period in Western Mexico was not entirely peaceful.

"Music hath charms to sooth the savage breast." In addition to savage warriors, the museum displays figures playing a variety of musical instruments. One of these is the drummer shown above, seated with his instrument between his knees. He wears a crossed headband and multiple ear rings in each ear. Interestingly, the 1697 quote from William Congreave in "The Mourning Bride" speaks of the death of a king and his entombment. Some collections of tomb musicians I have seen could easily be mistaken for a modern jazz combo, with drummers, trumpets, and flutes. 

Two more seated figures, male on the left and female on the right. The male wears the crossed head band so often found on both sexes. He also has the long face, straight nose, and somewhat bulbous almond-shaped eyes that are typical of the features of tomb figures. Another interesting aspect is the seated posture. I have seen many Shaft Tomb figures in the Regional Museum of Guadalajara, and other museums in Mexico City, Puebla, and Colima. A very large proportion of these are seated singly, and sometimes as male-female couples. The couples are often shown cuddling a child or a pet dog. In many cases, one person's arm is draped affectionately around the other, providing a sense of humanity that easily crosses the centuries. Even the warriors are seated, although generally portrayed as alert and ready for battle. The reason that so many are in a seated posture is a mystery to me.

Female figure with typical shoulder decorations. The pattern of bumps seen on the shoulders of this figure marks it as a Western Mexico Shaft Tomb statue. The shoulder bumps are very commonly found on both male and female statues and appear to be for decorative purposes. At first I thought they were part of the material worn on the upper body. Later I found out that they are actually polished pieces of oval-shaped stone inserted under the skin as body decoration. This might seem remarkable, but viewers should remember the various methods of modern plastic surgery such as liposuction and breast enlargement. In every era, people do astonishing things in an effort to "enhance" their beauty.

Grave goods 

Obsidian core and flakes. Obsidian--volcanic glass--was an important natural resource for the production of tools, weapons, and jewelry. The possession of large deposits of obsidian in one's territory was the ancient equivalent of deposits of oil to modern societies. The area covered by the Shaft Tombs is highly volcanic and thick with obsidian deposits. The Tequla Volcano dominates the landscape of the area around Etzatlán, and there are numerous smaller cinder cones and lava fields everywhere. Obsidian glass is easily worked and can be brought to an edge sharper than modern surgical instruments.

Shells indicate an active trade network that included links to the Pacific Coast. Shells were used as tools, jewelry and other decorations, and musical instruments. Conch shells, like the one seen above, were often used as trumpets for music or, as with a military bugle, for signaling. Often such conch shells would be incised with designs.

Figure of a cat with an open mouth. This may be a representation of a jaguar or a puma. Such large cats were seen as very powerful with connections both to the living and the underworld. Dogs are also very often found among Shaft Tomb grave goods. The famous ceramic Colima Dogs were viewed as representatives of Venus, the Morning Star, which was associated with death and rebirth. In addition, the personal dog of the deceased was often killed and buried with him to help guide him through the underworld. 

This completes Part 5 of my Etzatlán series. Next we'll take a look at the unique circular pyramids called the Guachimontanes, only a few miles to the east of Etzatlán. I hope you have enjoyed this posting. I encourage you to leave your thoughts in the section below marked Comments, or to send them directly to me by email.

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Hasta luego, Jim