CHALCATZINGO

Chalcatzingo is the only archaeological site so far found on the Mexican central plateau where major architectural works, civic type constructions, and excellent low relief's and carved stone sculptures were achieved in the millennium prior to the Christian era. The low relief's are the most outstanding of these elements. Their symbolic forms, the information they reflect, and other motifs involved in the technique and manufacture of the low relief's make them, in fact, the first artistic manifestations of their kind in Meso-America's heartland. Recent surveys reveal that these peculiarities show the presence in the area of outsiders, namely, Olmecs from the coast of the Gulf of Mexico.

 Chalcatzingo consists of low relief's carved on rock, sculptures, and a number of buildings located on artificially terraced land. Touring it is not easy, since it is not a conventional archaeological site with plazas, pyramids, and stairways. The monuments that remain exposed for viewing (excavated dwellings were covered over again with soil) are scattered among plowed fields, where in the rainy season they are hidden from view by crops and wild plants.  The flying man. It depicts a male figure wearing a coyote helmet and leaping, of flying, with a torch in his right hand. He is accompanied by a macaw and a quetzal. His attire and other adornments are interesting to examine. The King. This low-relief rock carving portrays a personage seated inside a cave and in the throat of the earth monster. He dons a high headdress having quetzals and raindrops. In his hands he holds a bar with a horizontal "s", a symbol you also see on the block where he sits, as well as on others relief's at the site. 

From the cave come smoke like volutes, possible forerunners of the virgules that eventually indicated the spoken word. Surrounding these there are depictions of clouds, raindrops, and concentric circles (chalchihuitl: symbols for precious water and jade). You also can see stylized representations of cornstalks. Mural of fertility. This is a set of six figures in relief which suggest aspects of life. This natural mural also has other alterations. From left to right, the cuts illustrate the following elements: a small square; a small groove and 14 conical cavities; a coiled snake (broken); a squash vine with leaves, flowers, and fruits; an unidentified figure and another squash vine, both very eroded; a quadruped licking a cloud and rain; a lizard with a cloud and raindrops; and a crouching serpent or wild cat, also with a diagonally placed cloud and raindrops. The procession. 

This monument shows three masked figures standing in front of another, seated one. The latter wears no mask, is bearded, and may have his wrists tied. The huge rock in front is an enigma and had to be trimmed to make its important relief visible. The two central figures hold spears and the first one to the left, a cornstalk. The puma. This character is either licking a glyph or devouring his victim's head, out of which comes a cactus like form. Duality. This monument illustrates two garnished tigers and two human figures that are either dancing, fighting, or running.

The acipactli. It is a lizard, alligator, or sea serpent that is either gobbling or throwing up a human figure that seems to be sinking or swimming among symbols which resemble those of the king figure. The ruler. It is a fragment of relief with a human figure (either a child or a youth) seated inside a cave similar to The King's) Stele of the hunter. It is a fragmented relief of a man toting a deer on his shoulders. You will find it at the foot of a staired structure. The Queen. The personage depicted here is standing. Her hair either falls free or is cloaked, while her hands rest on a stele. This is the only female portrait found in the whole site.