LOS GUACHIMONTONES

LOS GUACHIMONTONES WAS A CEREMONIAL CENTRE ATTRIBUTED TO THE TEUCHITLÁN CULTURE, LOCATED NEAR THE PRESENT-DAY TOWN OF TEUCHITLÁN IN THE STATE OF JALISCO, MEXICO.

The Teuchitlán Culture emerged during the Late Formative Period around 300 BC in the Tequila Valleys, developing a distinctive monumental style of architecture with the construction of concentric circular plazas, and pyramidal platforms called guachimontones.



There is some evidence of activity at Los Guachimontones as far back as the Middle Formative Period (or Tequila I phase fromshutterstock 769212700
Image Credit : Francisco J Ramos Gallego – Shutterstock

The city consisted of nine guachimontones, a major and minor plaza, two ball courts, and various residential mounds, whilst the associated site of Loma Alta nearby consists of five guachimontones, one ball court, and one major plaza.

The guachimontones were circular pyramidal structures that had quadrangular platforms ranging in number from four to sixteen, rising up to a central altar. Interpreting the structures has led to alternate theories, with J. Charles Kelley suggesting that a large pole was placed on the summit for the volador ceremony, still practiced in Mexico today. 1000 to 300 BC), where ceramic sherds in situ, and the levelling of the surrounding landscape indicate a centralised community structure.

By the Late Formative Period (or Tequila II phase from 300 to 100 BC), ceramic evidence suggests a growing population that began to construct large, monumental buildings such as the guachimontones, the largest guachimontones being Circle 1 that dates from between 160 and 40 BC.

More:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2021/09/los-guachimontones/141315















Circular Stepped Pyramids Of Guachimontones And Teuchitlan Tradition – A Lost Ancient World In Mexico
AncientPages.com | March 13, 2016 | Civilizations, Featured Stories, News, Places

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - A remarkable, ancient archaeological site Guachimontones (‘Los Guachimontones’) is located just outside the modest little town of Teuchitlán, Jalisco, 43 kilometers (26 miles) west of Guadalajara, Mexico.

At first, very little was known about who had built this remarkable place with rounded pyramids, several conical mounds or pyramids, terraced patios surrounded by circular ball games, an amphitheater, some terraces, buildings, and sophisticated ancient shaft tombs. Dating to the first centuries A.D., these tombs had small burial chambers at the bottom of vertical cuts up to 60 feet deep.



Los Guachimontones. The dominant features at los Guachimontones are circular stepped pyramids in the middle of circular building complexes. The 60-foot (18 m) tall pyramid at Circle 2 has 13 high steps leading to an upper level, which was then topped with another 4 high steps. One of the most impressive archeological sites in all of western Mexico.Los Guachimontones. The dominant features at los Guachimontones are circular stepped pyramids in the middle of circular building complexes. The 60-foot (18 m) tall pyramid at Circle 2 has 13 high steps leading to an upper level, which was then topped with another 4 high steps. One of the most impressive archeological sites in all of western Mexico.

The site was discovered by the late U.S. archaeologist Phil Weigand in 1970 and today, it is among the most visited archaeological sites in the country.
Weigand spent 29 years documenting a complex, highly organized society that had begun in western Mexico about 1000 BC and had reached its peak in 200 AD.

Guachimontones, home to approximately 40,000 people, was built by a unique culture, known as Teuchitlán Tradition, one of the pre-Hispanic cultures that flourished in western Mexico.

More:
https://www.ancientpages.com/2016/03/13/circular-stepped-pyramids-of-guachimontones-and-teuchitlan-tradition-a-lost-ancient-world-in-mexico/


Google images of this ancient site:

https://tinyurl.com/3zc7pex8