Archaeologists have discovered eight previously undocumented rock art sites in the Valdecañas mountain range near Fresnillo, Zacatecas, shedding new light on the ceremonial traditions of ancient hunter-gatherer communities that inhabited central Mexico between 600 and 1,200 years ago.
The discoveries, made by researchers from Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), bring the total number of known rock art sites in the area to nine, reinforcing the significance of the Valdecañas range as a major prehistoric ritual landscape.
The newly identified sites are spread across a five-kilometre stretch of rugged terrain, with some featuring painted panels extending up to 20 metres across rock walls and ceilings. The artwork is dominated by geometric designs, including straight, zigzag and wavy lines, triangles, circles and series of dots. A smaller number of animal and human figures have also been recorded.
One of the sites, located within the centre of a stream, has been identified as a ritual gallery believed to have been associated with fertility and hunting ceremonies.
The research forms part of an ongoing collaboration between the INAH Zacatecas Centre and mining company Fresnillo plc, which owns land in the region. Local residents had previously reported the existence of additional rock art beyond the well-known Cañada de Linares site, prompting archaeologists to undertake systematic surveys of the surrounding landscape.
The fieldwork was carried out in 2026 by archaeologists Paola Moulinie Córdova and Jorge Rafael Quiroz Martínez under the direction of Carlos Alberto Torreblanca Padilla.
According to Torreblanca Padilla, the consistency in artistic style across all nine sites suggests a long-established regional tradition of rock painting.
“The predominant colour is red, applied using outlining and flat pigment techniques,” he said. “This pattern is repeated throughout the sites, demonstrating a significant artistic tradition linked to prolonged pre-Hispanic occupation.”
The discoveries also contribute to an ongoing research project, Images on Rocks: Rock Art Manifestations in the State of Zacatecas, launched by INAH in 2021 to document and interpret the state’s rock art heritage.
Researchers currently believe the region may contain at least two distinct artistic traditions. The newly documented Valdecañas style is characterised almost exclusively by geometric motifs, while a second style, identified at the nearby El Capulín (El Dominguejo) site, incorporates depictions of animals, including goats, as well as a small number of human figures.
Although the discoveries provide valuable new evidence, many questions remain unanswered.
Archaeologists have also identified circular dwelling structures near Cañada de Linares but have yet to determine whether the settlements were directly associated with the creators of the paintings.
“There is still much to study to understand the pre-Hispanic past of Fresnillo,” Torreblanca Padilla said, adding that the ethnic identity of the groups responsible for the artwork remains unknown.
INAH is now working with Fresnillo plc to establish protection zones around each of the newly discovered sites. Officials say the measures are necessary to prevent damage caused by recreational rock climbing, which has already left climbing hooks and other traces at several locations.
“We have seen footprints and climbing equipment, and the heritage is at risk,” Torreblanca Padilla said.
Of the 480 archaeological sites currently recorded across Zacatecas, only 61 contain rock art. Most have previously been limited to documentation and registration, making the Images on Rocks project the state’s first dedicated effort to interpret this important aspect of its archaeological heritage.
Header Image Credit : Paola Moulinie
Sources : INAH
