Ixtlán del Rio is an archaeological site located in the Ixtlán del Rio municipality, on the south west region of the Mexican state of Nayarit. It is also known as "Los Toriles" and contains the only vestiges of the western cultures in Nayarit.

The presence of prehispanic vestiges in the form of petroglyphs are registered in five areas, the most important are "El Terrero", "Sayulapa" and "El Veladero", which depict sgraffiti lines and representations of abstract figures, such as spirals with rays.

Of the traditional shaft tombs, five large concentration areas have been identified, containing human bone remains; domestic pottery ollas, comales and cantaros (pitchers)]; as well as sculpture type remains (human and animal figures).

Background In remote times in which Paleo-Indians crossed the Bering Strait, several sedentary groups migrated south. The territory of present-day Nayarit state has manifestations of those settlers, chronologically and consecutively located in three cultural periods: Los Concheros, the shaft tomb tradition and the Aztatlán tradition.

Los Concheros Los concheros ("concha" = shell), is a name given to groups dedicated to the sea exploitation of the ocean shores, and in the process developed the first settlements, with sea shells. According to archaeologist Gabriela Zepeda, the Matanchén and San Blas coves, it was in the Nayarit shores where history commenced in these lands. From about 2000 BCE up to 1500 CE, an amazing occupation persisted by a culture that perceived the sea as merciful and stormy God. It was also the origin of artistic ceramic modeling and cooking.

Shaft Tomb Tradition

On the traditional shaft tomb tradition, five major areas of concentration were identified, containing bones; ceramics for domestic use (pots, comales and pitchers); and remains of sculptural type (human and animal figures).

The shaft tomb tradition (500 BCE-500 CE) constitutes a peculiar feature of prehispanic Mesoamerican development, although there are analog burials forms elsewhere in the continent. Shaft Tombs thus far discovered in the territory of Nayarit, were found and excavated outside of the settlement sites of that epoch, in vertical shafts (wells), with one or two chambers where their dead were placed together with human and animal sculptures, also with large vessels that contained funerary offerings, these reflect the development achieved by this tradition, with the particular regional characteristics found.

The Western Mexico shaft tomb tradition or shaft tomb culture refers to a set of interlocked cultural traits found in the western Mexican states of Jalisco, Nayarit, and, to a lesser extent, Colima to the south, roughly dating to the period between 300 BCE and 400 CE, although there are disagreements on this end-date. Nearly all of the artifacts associated with this shaft tomb tradition have been discovered by looters and are without provenance, making dating problematic.The International Council of Museum estimates that 90% of the clay figurines come from illegal excavations ICOM . The first major undisturbed shaft tomb associated with the tradition was not discovered but until 1993, at Huitzilapa, Jalisco.Williams, Classic period page as well as Danien, p. 23. There is some evidence (Meighan & Nicholson, p. 42) that many tombs were looted in ancient times.

The shaft tomb tradition is thought to have developed around 300 BCE.Williams, Classic period page and most other sources give the 300 BCE date. For example, Dominique Michelet in The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures says "it probably started earlier" than 200 BCE. Some shaft tombs predate the tradition by more than 1000 years, for example, the shaft tomb at El Opeño in Michoacán has been dated to 1500 BCE but it is linked to central, rather than western Mexico. Like much else concerning the tradition, its origins are not well understood, although the valleys around Tequila, Jalisco, which include the archaeological sites of Huitzilapa and Teuchitlan, constitute its "undisputed core".Beekman (2000) p. 388 & 394. The tradition lasted until at least 300 CE although, as noted above, there is disagreement on the end date.The proposed end date of the shaft tomb tradition varies considerably. Williams as well as the De Young Museum give a date of 300 CE. The International Council of Museums, on the other hand, provides a date of 500 CE, while the Smithsonian and The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerican Cultures give 600 CE.

Aztatlán Tradition The archaeological ruins of "Los Toriles" are related to the Aztatlán tradition. Its buildings contain temples with stairs and worship places made of round stones jointed with clay, stone slabs and in some cases, with motif carved stones including spirals and a snake.

The Aztatlán tradition is chronologically located on a period from 700 BCE throughout 1520 CE, it is considered a western mesoamerican cultural event that shares cultural traits with the Toltec and received cultural influences from central highlands.

This rich tradition is manifested in their varied and beautiful complex ceramic and polished stone, obsidian, and jade, such as: arrowheads; human instruments, gods and animals. Metal work impacted the agricultural activity and environmental exploitation, manufactured utilitarian artifacts as well as ornamental and sumptuary objects.

Architecture reached its peak when ballgame courts appeared, their construction prompted the organizing of large well designed platforms, patios and squares with pyramids of certain elevations, walkways and paved roads, stairways, worship stone carvings, columns as roof support, roofs, posts, palm and grass, utilization of adobe walls and floors. The burial was common in large pots where skeletons lie in sitting or extended position, accompanied by offerings primarily made of pottery.

The " Aztatlán Tradition " flourished in the south of the State with the cultural development of Ixtlán de Río, on a period from around 750 BCE to 1110 CE, recognized as the Mid-Ixtlán period. Its early phase corresponds to the period that goes from 300 BCE to 600 CE.

From the "Aztatlán Tradition" the Shaft Tombs are highlighted, and it is noted that the discovery of Smoking pipes vestiges in Amapa imply that tobacco was farmed, there are also samples that demonstrate the use of metals, form manufacturing needles and fish hooks, also bricks for construction evidence was found.

In more recent times, within the "Aztatlán tradition", the now called Sentispac town, formerly known as Tzenticpac or Centicpac, was the seat of the lordship of the same name, which extended to Omitlán, Itzcuintla, Cillan and Atecomatlán and was occupied by Totorames native groups, who dominated and receiving tributes from Coras and Zayahuecos settled in the same coastal region.

Toponymy The word "Ixtlán" is of Nahuatl origin, composed by the words "itz-" that means obsidian, and "-tlan", that means place with abundance, that is, "Place where obsidian is abundant".

According to the Mexican Municipalities Encyclopedia, Ixtlán, means place dedicated to Ehécatl, Wind God .

History This important site was very possibly occupied from 300 BCE through 600 CE. During the first stage a cultural complex was developed known as the Shaft Tomb tradition in which offerings were placed inside of funeral chambers. Between 500 and 600 CE the Shaft Tomb tradition is abandoned and its development is registered within an ample cultural region known as Aztatlán, with an apogee towards 750 and 1,100 CE.

With the "Tradición Aztatlán" develops a new way of life and it begins towards 750 – 900 CE. This cultural development is identified as mid-Ixtlán period (750 - 1110) that represents the apogee of the city, dedicated to Ehécatl (Wind God); and late Ixtlán (1110–1525CE) identified by red smooth ceramic for domestic use as well as cajetes and tripod molcajetes decorated with white designs over red.

The city was founded in the 12th century, by Nahuatlaca tribes en route towards the Valley of Mexico, forming the Ahuacatlán Lordship, known by its building construction and trading of obsidian goods.

It is then that the urban settlement grows considerable with the construction of large terraces, palaces, temples and altars, acquiring a certain regional importance as manufacturing and commercial trade center. Although more than 85 mounds and structures have been located in the site, that remain still unexplored, at the moment it is only possible to visit fifteen structures, among them the building called Quetzalcoatl Temple that displays a circular shape with a parapet surrounding it and with peculiar perforations in cross shape.

The temple has two altars on top of the Mexico Central Plateau style. Other important buildings are structures called "Reliefs Palace", "Columns Palace", the "Four Column Palace" complex and the "Square Palace".

Ixtlán is the most studied archaeological zone in Nayarit. Its influence zone extended to the present day municipalities of Ixtlán del Rio, Ahuacatlán, Jala and Santa Maria del Oro. Their main towns were Cacalután, Tepuzhuacán, Mexpan, Zoatlán, Xala, Jomulco, Tequepexpan, Camotlán, Tetitlán, Acuitapilco and Zapotán.

Petroglyphs In Santiago Ixcuintla, INAH has registered the existence of petroglyphs from the "Los Concheros" epoch, in the Las Parejas, Emérita, Yago, El Caballo and Acatán de las Piñas sites, with a total of 13 engravings, including the "Piedra Galana".

The presence of prehispanic vestiges in the form of Petroglyphs are registered in five areas, the most important are "El Terrero", "Sayulapa" and "El Veladero", which depict sgraffiti lines and representations of abstract figures, such as spirals with rays.

Ceramic

This stage of prehispanic development distinguishes and identifies western Mexico from other mesoamerican cultural expressions, during the late formative period and early classical. The Nayarit shaft tomb complexes are identified within the early Ixtlán period (300 BCE to 300 CE), and three distinctive clay modeling styles have been defined: Chimisco, Ixtlán and San Sebastian.

The pottery of this tradition shows abundance of colors, predominating red, orange, yellow beige and the "negative" form. Common themes are human beings as warriors, musicians, women, sick people and couples.

The Site The Ixtlán del Río site is known as "Los Toriles", it was a constantly growing city and its inhabitants place huge importance to its buildings. They had urbanism knowledge, applied to an organized arrangement, with stairs, restricted accesses, open spaces, altars, sidewalks, drains, causeways, neighborhoods and palaces throughout the extensive city that flourished from 700 to 1200 CE.

It had its heyday as a city during the "Aztatlán Tradition" period, in an area extended over eighty hectares. In the late phase, that corresponds to the period from 1110 to 1525 CE, had artistic red smooth ceramic expressions for home use, vessels and molcajetes tripods with white decor on red. This same period developed the metallurgy used to produce ornamental, ritual objects and obsidian bifacial instruments. On slopes they built extensive terraces, palaces, worship spaces, people's homes, farmland areas and obsidian carving workshops.

It is clear that it is still unknown what was their original culture, it is only known that they were predecessors of the Coras and Huichol or Wixáritari peoples, they believed in life after death. Accordingly, what their name was is not known, these were communities a little older than 2,200 years, and are known as belonging to the Shaft Tomb Tradition, constructed in vertical wells, round or square, representing the maternal uterus.