La Quemada

The La Quemada archaeological site is one of the most visited and prominent sites of its kind in this part of Zacatecas. Less than an hour south of the capital, it's often visited en route to Villanueva, the equally famous little Magical Town.

In a region characterized as semi-desert, it's one of the most important ancient sites in the region. Occupied between 300 and 1200 CE, the city's origin and exact cultural affiliation are not well documented. Some scholars will associated with groups from the Chalchihuite area. Occasionally, it has been associated with a mythical city called Chicomoztoc, mentioned in legends of the Mexica people. However, it has also been suggested that it began as a fortress of the Teotihuacán, a center of Purépecha outliers, as a Toltec trading post, or as simply an outpost of other peoples.

The city was built on a series of man-made terraces. Defensive in nature, the site is adapted to a hostile and mountainous environment. Most famously, the Hall of Columns is a large room with stone pillars. A citadel provides a fortified complex that may have served as an elite residence or administrative center. The great pyramid can still be climbed and this gives an idea of the magnificence of the entire surrounding valley.

With a prominent perimeter wall, ramps and stairways, and terraces, a high degree of urban organization and construction know-how suggest that the city fulfilled ceremonial and political  functions. It was also likely a strategic commercial point for those traveling between the Central Northern Highlands and points to the south.

The La Quemada name comes from the blackened appearance of some stones. This led some early visitors to believe that it had been burned. The site is open to the public and visitors take to the interpretive trails, a museum on site, and educational signage.