HOME Travel Guide Common Sense Travel
decorative font style

Huapalcalco Archaeological Site: Mexico’s Oldest Cave Art

The Zona Arqueológica de Huapalcalco (Archaeological Site of Huapalcalco) is 3-kilometers Tulancingo center. It’s considered the oldest human settlement in Hidalgo for preserving cave paintings over 13 thousand years old.

 

The Huapalcalco region was considered the most important in prehispanic population, since the first Toltecas settled there. Here you can see the hillside of Cerro del Tecolote and two architectural complexes.

 

Explore the three-bodies and Teotihuacan-influence pyramid of 12 meters in base and eight in height, where possibly an altar was used as an offerings deposit.

 

The site has five occupations. The first one corresponds to Prehistoric with the presence of projectile points of the Meserve type, as well as cave paintings located on the Cerro de la Mesa and El Tecolote.

 

The second occupation is based on the late Preclassic; the third is a settlement represented by structure VI, which is also the most important since it reflects the architectural style. The fourth occupation is a small population established in the late Postclassic.

 

According to researchers at the site, important findings have been done, such as two yokes of Totonaca origin and a sculpture of the Dios Viejo del Fuego (Old God of Fire).
Tourist Attraction
  • -

    It’s believed that the first Toluca valley settlers, and surroundings such as Teotenango, were of Otomí origin, established at Tetépetl hill slopes, 15 minutes away Toluca. Little is known about them. However, it has been discovered that those who had the greatest presence were the Matlatzincas (“those who make nets”), named so by Aztecs because of the wide use they made of net. From this culture remains the Zona Arqueológica de Teotenango (archaeological zone of Teotenango)—stands out for

  • -

    Protected by the very god Quetzalcóatl, you’ll be able to admire the gigantic stone Atlanteans who watch over what was once the most important Toltec city. Find the Zona Arqueológica de Tula in the historic center of Tula de Allende, Hidalgo (entering through Actopan and taking Calle Del Tesoro). Venture to explore this city’s vestiges that until date is a reliable example of its majesty, very much in keeping with its cultured and prudent people; even the great lords’ sons from near and far

  • -

    Declared a World Heritage Site, the archaeological zone of Xochicalco was an ancient ceremonial center and fortified city that had its heyday between 650 and 900 AD, right between the fall of Teotihuacan and the rise of Tula. On the hills that form the archeological site, two great basements stand out. The first is known as the Piramide de la Serpiente Emplumada (Feathered Serpent Pyramid), decorated with profuse high reliefs on its sides. There are eight snakes that symbolize the god Quetz