Ancient Shrine Discovered in Mexico May Represent Creation of Cosmos
Some Mesoamerican myths about the creation of the world indicate that Cipactli (the monster of the earth) floated on the primitive waters and from his body the sky and the earth were created. In this sense, Nahualac, a site located in the foothills of the Iztaccíhuatl volcano, could emulate this conception, since the existence of a tetzacualco (shrine) in the middle of a natural pond and the optical effect that occurs in the water mirror, from which it seems that the structure emanates, suggests that the place is the representation of a primeval time and space, a miniature model of the universe.
The aforementioned was referred by the archaeologist Iris del Rocío Hernández Bautista, of the Subaquatic Archeology Subdirectorate (SAS) of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), responsible for high mountain archaeological research in that place, located at 3,870 meters above sea level. the level of the sea, in the municipality of Amecameca, State of Mexico.
"The intention of water surrounding specific ritual architectural elements seems to have been an important part of Mesoamerican thought, we see it in Tenochtitlan, or in the Ciudadela, in Teotihuacan, as recently reported by Julie Gazzola and Sergio Gómez."
Credit: SAS-INAH.
The archaeologist Hernández Bautista pointed out that in 2015, after a denounce of the destruction of the site, the Nahualac Archaeological Project was created. In 2016 a multidisciplinary team undertook an excavation season in which numerous ceramic fragments, lithic materials, lapidaries and organic remains were recovered.
He specified that Nahualac consists of two areas. The first and main is a seasonal pond within which a rectangular temple of stacked stones without any type of cement known as tetzacualco (11.5 x 9.8 meters) was built in pre-Hispanic times . Currently, "he said," you can see the corners and the spurts of the walls, as well as some mounds of stones that surround it.
The second area is located 150 meters southeast of the structure, over a wide valley where springs sprout. There have been found ceramic pieces with decorative elements associated with Tlaloc, deity of the rain.
"In this area, ceramic materials were identified on the surface, some of them identified as Coyotlatelco (750-900 AD), Mazapa (850 to 900 AD) and Tollan Complex (900-1150 AD). Altogether, the archaeological evidences cover an approximate area of 300 by 100 meters ".
The archaeological project of the SAS-INAH has recovered numerous ceramic fragments, lithic materials, lapidaries and organic remains.
Photo: Isaac Gómez, courtesy Nahualac Archaeological Project, SAS-INAH
Currently, lithic materials and recovered lapidaries are in the process of analysis with the collaboration of Dr. Emiliano Melgar, from the Museo del Templo Mayor, through the Style and Technology Project of Lapidarium Objects in Ancient Mexico. The pieces correspond mainly to prismatic obsidian blades, fragments of slate artifacts and some objects of gray and pink shale, in which the traces of use and origin of raw materials are examined.
On the organic remains, he indicated that they will be studied by Dr. Aurora Montúfar, from the Paleobotanical Laboratory of the Subdirectorate of Laboratories and Academic Support of INAH. These are sediments in association with charcoal and fragments of a pink polished schist material, recovered from the interior of several tripod bowls arranged as an offering. Your study may give clues as to the contents of the containers at the time of being buried in the offering area.
Regarding references to the site of Nahualac, he noted, there are studies by the French explorer Desiré Charnay, who in the 19th century toured the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes and visited the site.
The site is located on the slopes of the Iztaccihuatl volcano.
Currently, lithic materials and recovered lapidaries are in the process of analysis with the collaboration of Dr. Emiliano Melgar, from the Museo del Templo Mayor, through the Style and Technology Project of Lapidarium Objects in Ancient Mexico. The pieces correspond mainly to prismatic obsidian blades, fragments of slate artifacts and some objects of gray and pink shale, in which the traces of use and origin of raw materials are examined.
On the organic remains, he indicated that they will be studied by Dr. Aurora Montúfar, from the Paleobotanical Laboratory of the Subdirectorate of Laboratories and Academic Support of INAH. These are sediments in association with charcoal and fragments of a pink polished schist material, recovered from the interior of several tripod bowls arranged as an offering. Your study may give clues as to the contents of the containers at the time of being buried in the offering area.
Regarding references to the site of Nahualac, he noted, there are studies by the French explorer Desiré Charnay, who in the 19th century toured the Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl volcanoes and visited the site.
The site is located on the slopes of the Iztaccihuatl volcano.
Photo: Isaac Gómez, courtesy Nahualac Archaeological Project, SAS-INAH.
Later, in 1957, the archaeologist José Luis Lorenzo described it in detail and placed its temporality in the Toltec period (9th-13th centuries AD); made a sketch of the structure ( tetzacualco ) and recorded several fragments of archaeological pieces collected on the surface.
Finally, in 1986, Stanislaw Iwanizewski and his collaborators recovered an important collection of ceramic objects, which mostly belong to the Mazapa tradition (850 to 900 AD).
The SAS-INAH archaeologist said that according to the reports of those first explorations and investigations in progress, it can be inferred that Nahualac is the representation of a ritual space where the cult of Tlaloc is evident, although not exclusive, since it is also related to the female entities of water and land.
Iris Hernandez suggests that there was a ritual control of water from nearby springs to irrigate the pond in order to cause a visual effect in which it appears that the structure and mounds of stone float on the water surface, which in turn reflects the surrounding passage.
Later, in 1957, the archaeologist José Luis Lorenzo described it in detail and placed its temporality in the Toltec period (9th-13th centuries AD); made a sketch of the structure ( tetzacualco ) and recorded several fragments of archaeological pieces collected on the surface.
Finally, in 1986, Stanislaw Iwanizewski and his collaborators recovered an important collection of ceramic objects, which mostly belong to the Mazapa tradition (850 to 900 AD).
The SAS-INAH archaeologist said that according to the reports of those first explorations and investigations in progress, it can be inferred that Nahualac is the representation of a ritual space where the cult of Tlaloc is evident, although not exclusive, since it is also related to the female entities of water and land.
Iris Hernandez suggests that there was a ritual control of water from nearby springs to irrigate the pond in order to cause a visual effect in which it appears that the structure and mounds of stone float on the water surface, which in turn reflects the surrounding passage.
Aerial view of Nahualac.
Photo: Arturo Cruz, Terrasat Cartography.
"These visual effects, in addition to the characteristics of the elements that make up the site and the relationship they have with each other, make us suppose that Nahualac could represent a microcosm that evokes the primitive waters and the beginning of the mythical time-space".
He concluded that the natural environment surrounding the pond also has a close link with the ritual meanings of the Mesoamerican mirror and quincunx, that is, the representation of the four directions of the universe, whose center shows the point of encounter between the cosmic planes.
"These visual effects, in addition to the characteristics of the elements that make up the site and the relationship they have with each other, make us suppose that Nahualac could represent a microcosm that evokes the primitive waters and the beginning of the mythical time-space".
He concluded that the natural environment surrounding the pond also has a close link with the ritual meanings of the Mesoamerican mirror and quincunx, that is, the representation of the four directions of the universe, whose center shows the point of encounter between the cosmic planes.
Contacts and sources:
SAS-INAH
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