Casas Grandes, Pre-Columbian archaeological complex in Chihuahua, Mexico

Casas Grandes is an archaeological complex in the Mexican state of Chihuahua with multi-story adobe structures, platforms, and ceremonial spaces. The structures form an expansive settlement network organized around paved courtyards and water channel systems.

Settlement began after 1130, when inhabitants gathered in house clusters with a shared water system of underground drains, reservoirs and channels. After being burned about 1340, the site was rebuilt with multi-story adobe apartment blocks of some 2,000 adjoining rooms. It was abandoned around 1450, and nomadic peoples later occupied the ruins.

Inhabitants maintained ties with distant communities through the exchange of pottery, shells, and polished stones, as shown by findings in storage rooms. Some of the excavated rooms served as workshops where artisans crafted jewelry and ritual objects for local use and trade.

The site spreads across several areas, and walking through takes between one and two hours depending on your pace. A nearby museum offers displays and background information that are helpful before or after visiting the ruins.

Archaeologists found a piece of iron meteorite weighing more than two tons within the complex, suggesting advanced knowledge of materials and their origins. This discovery shows that inhabitants collected rare objects and possibly regarded them as trade items or ceremonial pieces.