Etlatongo, Archaeological site in Nochixtlán Valley, Mexico
Etlatongo is an archaeological site in the Mixteca Alta region where researchers excavate ruins and artifacts across multiple areas. Teams continue to work here regularly, uncovering pottery, tools, and remnants of structures that tell the story of ancient settlement.
People lived at this location for more than 3000 years, from around 1150 BCE through later periods of Mesoamerican history. The site demonstrates how settlement continued and changed over this vast span of time.
The pottery and objects found here show how people traded and communicated with distant societies across Mesoamerica. Walking through the site reveals layers of different peoples who lived and worked together over centuries.
The site sits on elevated terrain with multiple excavation areas that can be explored on foot at a relaxed pace. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes and bring water, as the landscape can be uneven and exposure to the sun is direct.
A ballcourt dating to 1374 BCE was uncovered here in 2020, placing it among the earliest known examples in Mesoamerica. This discovery showed that the ballgame tradition had roots far deeper than previously thought.
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