Ixcateopan (archaeological site)

Cohuixca - Chontal Culture – Archaeological Site
Part of the Ixcateopan archeological site
Name:	Ixcateopan Archaeological Site
Type	Mesoamerican archaeology
Location	Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc, Guerrero  Mexico
Region	Mesoamerica
Coordinates	18°29′50″N 99°47′36″W / 18.49722°N 99.79333°W / 18.49722; -99.79333Coordinates: 18°29′50″N 99°47′36″W / 18.49722°N 99.79333°W / 18.49722; -99.79333
Culture	Cohuixcas - Chontal – Mexica
Language
Chronology	350 to 1521 CE
Period	Mesoamerican Classical, Postclassical
Apogee
INAH Web Page	Ixcateopan zona arqueológica (in Spanish)

Ixcateopan is an archaeological site located in the town and municipality of Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc, 36 kilometers from Taxco, in the isolated and rugged mountains of the northern part of Guerrero state, Mexico.

The explored archeological remains are part of a city which functioned as an important regional ceremonial center. Ixcateopan was a place of cult and army garrisons inhabited by various native groups, such as the Cohuixcas (people of the place where there are lizards), The Chontales (foreigners) and by the Aztecs, at the time when the latter were at war with the Purépecha.

The city is known as the final resting place of Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec Tlatoani, whose remains were found under the parish church here in the mid-20th century. This church has been converted into a museum with displays a number of pre-Hispanic artifacts, offerings left in honor of the emperor and the remains of Cuauhtémoc himself.

Only a portion of the "original" structures remain, as a result of a street construction and multiple sackings that have occurred by people seeking “carved” stones.

Only the civic-religious section can be seen, constituted by several rooms and open spaces, where remains of red stucco in the floors can be observed, the main structure is of circular shape and might have been dedicated to Quetzalcoatl. The chronological placing of the site is from 1350 to 1521 CE.

The first humans in the state’s territory were nomadic hunter-gatherers who left evidence of their existence in various caves starting about 22,000 years ago. Up until about 8,000 years ago, climatic conditions better favored human habitation than those today; however, sedimentary human habitation happened around this time in the mountainous areas with more moisture, and better soil for agriculture. After that, settlements appeared near the coast because of fishing. At these sites, evidence of weaving, ceramics, basketry and other crafts have been found. Around this time, a grain called teocintle, or the forerunner to corn, became the staple of the diet.

The first settlers of the state were the Olmecs during the Mesoamerican Preclassical period, establishing themselves in the vicinity of the Balsas River, living in caves. The chichimecas inhabited the Tierra Caliente region.

There is debate as to whether the earliest civilizations here were Olmecs who migrated to this region or native peoples who were heavily influenced by the Olmecs, especially in the Mexcala River area. Olmec influences can be seen in cave paintings such as those found in Juxtlahuaca and well as stone tools and jade jewelry from the time period.