A set of newly recorded rock carvings and paintings has been identified at the El Venado site in Hidalgo, offering further insight into the area’s long history of human activity.
The findings were made during survey work linked to the Mexico City–Querétaro passenger rail project, led by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History. Archaeologists documented 16 features, including both petroglyphs and painted images, located on two rocky slopes near the Tula River and La Requena Dam, close to the communities of San José Acoculco and Benito Juárez.
Initial assessment suggests the images were created over a long period, from prehistoric times through to the Mesoamerican Postclassic era (AD 900–1521). Some of the painted forms, now partially faded, are thought to date back more than 4,000 years.
Among the figures identified are human-like forms with distinct clothing and ornaments. One appears to carry a chimalli, or shield, while another shows features linked to Tlaloc, including goggle-like eyes and a headdress. Other markings include a stylised face, a four-legged animal—possibly a deer—and red areas with a contrasting white band.
Inside a nearby rock shelter, researchers recorded additional images, including a red-painted figure and a long, narrow shape that may represent a snake or a bolt of lightning. Although some details are no longer clear, their placement and style point to early origins.
Project coordinator Víctor Francisco Heredia Guillén said the site was documented in early January 2026. Analysis so far indicates that mineral or plant-based pigments were used for the paintings, while the carved designs were made using repeated pointed marks. Archaeologist Abel José Romero García noted that several of the images remain well preserved and may be linked to later phases of activity connected to the nearby Tula area.
The location itself is not new to researchers. It was first recorded in the 1970s during fieldwork led by Eduardo Matos Moctezuma, when a painted deer figure was identified. That earlier find gave the site its current name. The position of the images suggests they may have been linked to ritual practices or seasonal observations.
Additional figures near the Tula River include forms that combine human and animal traits, some resembling imagery associated with the Mogollon culture. One example, thought to date from the early colonial period, appears to reflect later cultural influences.
Plans for the railway had originally included a route through the area. In October 2025, President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed that the line would be adjusted to avoid the site. Officials said the change would allow construction to continue while leaving the rock art undisturbed.
Further study of the images is expected to continue, with detailed recording aimed at clarifying their age and meaning.
Header Image Credit : Gerardo Peña, INAH
Sources : INAH
