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FAMSI © 2003: Verenice Y. Heredia Espinoza |
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The Nature of Governance in Secondary Centers of the Classic Period, Mixteca Alta, México El Peñasco Cerro Peña Grande or El Peñasco (TLA-TLA-SMO-1) is located on the southern limits of the CMASPP (Balkansky et al. 2000). As its name suggests, the site is found on a large and very elevated mountain (Plate 14, shown below). The site was previously registered as Early Classic, but re-surveying the site I noticed that the site belongs largely to the Late Ramos (Late Preclassic) and Natividad (Postclassic) phases, with some Early Las Flores (Early Classic) occupation.
The civic-ceremonial architecture is found at the summit, and it is composed of an enclosed plaza (three structures and a platform around a plaza), a ballcourt (Plate 15), a sunken patio, two structures one to the east and the other to the west of the civic-ceremonial center which overlook the entire valley, a lone structure to the south of the civic-ceremonial center, and another to the southeast as well as 257 terraces. These two structures (Plate 16 and Plate 17) overlooking the valley (on all four directions) are known as "miradores" (viewing points).
On a rock face, a large cliff of aproximately 60m in height, I found several rock paintings and a couple of petroglyphs (Plate 18, shown above, Plate 19, Plates 20 and 21, shown below). These features have not been dated, but it is possible that this site has a long and continuous occupation from pre-ceramic times to the Postclassic.
The site continues to the east and south east on the arms of the mountain. This area is has the largest number of terraces, most of which are agricultural. Three hundred and forty two terraces were mapped on the piedmont of the site. Most of the largest terraces at site are still used for agricultural purposes, but most of its Prehispanic architectural features remain in good state of preservation. Although it is estimated that the site extends for over 100 hectares, only 63 hectares were mapped due to the lack of financial resources. The map for El Peñasco is still under preparation, for this reason it is not included in this report. |
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