History

In the '70s , archaeologists found that there was a more complete civilization than previously thought , which are circular pyramids , a ball court , amphitheater and some terraces and buildings and remnants of mining activity.

In 1970 , American archaeologist Phil Weigand was visiting the Spa Corner , near the small town of Teuchitlán . At the pool, his wife , historian Acelia Garcia found an obsidian blade , that intrigued the couple. "Where did that come from ? " They wondered .

It turned out that the water park had been the site of an old workshop where countless knives and obsidian knives were produced . The couple then began hiking in the mountains just above the resort and ended up wandering among the ruins of the curious " round pyramids " now known as Los Guachimontones .

Later, Weigand recalled the moment : " I stood on the largest pyramid , I looked around and thought . ' This is unexpected " Turned out to be an understatement. Marriage Weigand aside a summer to explore the pyramids they had found and ended up spending the rest of their lives documenting a complex and highly organized society that had begun in western Mexico in the year 1000 BC and was over peak in 200 AD .

This complex was built by the Teuchitlán tradition, which was one of the earliest civilizations in western Mesoamerica, which flourished around 300 BC and had its peak between 200 and 400 A.D. disappearing into the 900 A.D. The Teuchitlán tradition was largely devoted people to do work obsidian , copper, gold , silver and malachite, as well as having left a great legacy in the urban plan .

The hallmark of this tradition was its architectural style , which consisted of ceremonial centers in the form of concentric circles, which are often of monumental scale and we now recognize as Guachimontones . The name of this settlement apparently comes from the Nahuatl word Huaxe ( gourd ) and the word in Castilian lot , which translates to lots of gourds , as they abound in the area .