One of the most significant archaeological discoveries of Western Mexico is the Guachimontones, located in the town of Teuchitlan, a little more than an hour from Guadalajara. This is one of the most important settlements of the region, characterized by circular architecture of singular beauty. Its peak dates between the years 200 and 400 of our time. But Teuchitlan, although it is a truly unique place, is only one of many sites that exemplify the rich and varied architecture of the state of Jalisco. Here it is enough to the case of the Ixtepete in the municipality of Zapopan to the variety of its archaeological remains and its extensive chronological dimension.
But beyond its vestiges of monumental architecture, in reality scarce in Western Mexico, the richness of the burial contexts preserved in the "shaft" tombs (ca. 300 B.C. to 600 A.D.), within the underground chambers accessed via vertical tunnels excavated directly into the limestone, is even more surprising. It relates to hundreds of clay figures, all true works of art, which accompanied the dead in their final resting place. Sadly, their exceptional nature has encouraged their looting and sale on the black market for decades. The shaft tomb of El Arenal, the vestiges of the Palace of Ocomo in Oconahua, municipality of Etzatlan, are only some of the archaeological deposits damaged by clandestine excavations from the second half of the previous century. Many of the pieces found in these places now form a part of the collections of the New York Museum of Natural History or in other museums throughout California.
This piece is from one of these "shaft" tombs. It corresponds to the clay representation of a prone female figure that is attempting to rise by pushing herself forward with feet and hands. It is a very fine example of the pottery production linked to the burial architecture of central Jalisco, which in this case must be related to the Ameca-Etzatlan style. The woman's hair is arranged on her back, her breasts are naked and she is wearing a girdle, the only piece of her clothing that covers her. Her arms and legs are adorned with bangles carefully decorated with small clay spheres applied to the pastillage.
One of the most significant archaeological discoveries of Western Mexico is the Guachimontones, located in the town of Teuchitlan, a little more than an hour from Guadalajara. This is one of the most important settlements of the region, characterized by circular architecture of singular beauty. Its peak dates between the years 200 and 400 of our time. But Teuchitlan, although it is a truly unique place, is only one of many sites that exemplify the rich and varied architecture of the state of Jalisco. Here it is enough to the case of the Ixtepete in the municipality of Zapopan to the variety of its archaeological remains and its extensive chronological dimension.
