Huitzilapa Shaft Tomb — Magdalena
Late Formative (100 BCE–400 CE)·Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition·🇲🇽 Jalisco, Mexico
About
About Huitzilapa Shaft Tomb — Magdalena
Huitzilapa Shaft Tomb — Magdalena in Jalisco, Mexico is a Late Formative (100 BCE–400 CE) tomb attributed to Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition. Deep 7 m shaft leading to two chambers with hollow figures and shell offerings, largely unlooted. Galván: unlooted shaft tomb 1993 with 20 ceramic figures and human bone.
Why it mattersKey Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition compound illustrating Teotihuacan urban organization
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Urban craft specialization
- 02Mural iconography interpretation
Theories
- 01Multi-ethnic barrio model
- 02Theocratic palace administration
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 200 CE
- Period
- Late Formative (100 BCE–400 CE)
- Culture
- Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition
- Purpose
- Deep 7 m shaft leading to two chambers with hollow figures and shell offerings, largely unlooted
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 200 CE
Initial construction
c. 1960 CE
Modern INAH excavation
On the ground
Structures & features
20.7800° N · 103.9500° W · 1400 m · 3 mapped features
Huitzilapa Shaft Tomb — Magdalena — Shaft Entrance
shaftVertical shaft entrance
20.7801° N · 103.9499° WHuitzilapa Shaft Tomb — Magdalena — Burial Chambers
chamberUnderground chambers with offerings
20.7799° N · 103.9498° WHuitzilapa Shaft Tomb — Magdalena — Offering Cache
cacheCeramic offering deposit
20.7803° N · 103.9502° W