Archaeologists in Atlixco have uncovered the remains of a 1,500-year-old ceremonial plaza in the city’s historic centre, offering new insight into the scale and organisation of the region’s pre-Hispanic past.
Experts from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) confirmed that the structure dates to the Classic and Epiclassic periods (AD 200–900).
Its construction techniques and chronology closely align with previously documented remains at the Plazuela de la Danza Huey Atlixcáyotl, reinforcing evidence of a broader ceremonial landscape across the area.
According to project director Carlos Cedillo Ortega, the find significantly expands the known boundaries of Atlixco’s ancient settlement. “This confirms that the site was far more extensive than previously believed,” he noted, adding that the city was likely an important regional centre contemporaneous with Teotihuacan and Cholula.
The structure spans nearly 50 metres and shows at least three construction phases. Archaeologists found superimposed stucco floors and walls, as well as construction cores made of tepetate blocks and river stones.
The earliest phase lies more than two metres below present street level and has a sloped wall with preserved lime plaster, with stone later added as part of the stepped platform that once anchored a ceremonial building behind it.
Fragments of painted plaster suggest that portions of the complex were decorated with murals painted with white, red, yellow, blue green pigments, similarly to those found in Cholula.
A later construction phase extended across the entire platform, while evidence of a third expansion—dated to the Epiclassic period—was largely lost when the area was levelled during early Spanish colonial settlement beginning in 1579.
Additional findings include ceramic fragments spanning multiple periods, from Epiclassic to Postclassic and early colonial times, indicating continuous or repeated occupation.
Archaeologist Miguel Medina Jaen explained that the discovery also points to a second ceremonial complex on the eastern side of San Miguel Hill, suggesting a quadripartite urban layout. “This helps us understand how Atlixco was organised, with ceremonial centres linked to distinct sectors or neighbourhoods,” he said.
Following documentation, the structure was carefully reburied for preservation, ensuring its protection beneath the modern city while contributing valuable data to Mexico’s archaeological record.
Sources : INAH