Altavista petroglyph complex

{{Short description|Archaeological site in Nayarit, Mexico}}

{{Expand language|topic=|langcode=es|otherarticle=Altavista (Nayarit)|date=September 2024}}

File:Altavistapeto.jpg

The Altavista petroglyph complex is located near the village and beach-town of Chacala, south of the Compostela Municipality, in Nayarit, Mexico.

The area is known as "La Pila del Rey", "Chacalán", "El Santuario", "The Petroglyphs” or "the Altavista petroglyphs", near the Jaltemba Bay, in the Pacific Ocean of Nayarit.{{cite journal |last= Lawhorn |first= Richard |title= Petroglyphs at Altavista |trans-title= Petroglifos en Altavista |url= http://richardlawhorn.com/altavista/pila_del_rey.html |access-date=21 October 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100827063556/http://richardlawhorn.com/altavista/pila_del_rey.html |archive-date= 2010-08-27 |url-status= dead }}

This region was originally home to the largely unstudied Tecoxquin (Tequectequi) native culture dating from approximately 2000 BC to 2300 BCE.{{cite book |title=Pro-conservacion Difusion del Patrimonio Historico Cultural de Las Varas Nayarit A.C. |publisher=Ejido de Altavista. C.E.C.A.N. / I.N.A.H. }} It contains 56 petroglyphs whose antiquity cannot be accurately determined. Aside from its cultural and archeological importance, the site remains an important religious center for the Huicholes who still leave offerings and perform ceremonies here.{{cite journal|last=Armendáriz |first=Lorenzo |date=February 2008 |title=Viva la Riviera Nayarita |journal=Guía México Desconocido |volume=372 |pages=70–77 |url=http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/notas/8261-Viva-la-Riviera-Nayarita.-Sus-playas,-sus-frutos-del-mar,-su-paz |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811110947/http://www.mexicodesconocido.com.mx/notas/8261-Viva-la-Riviera-Nayarita.-Sus-playas%2C-sus-frutos-del-mar%2C-su-paz |archive-date=2014-08-11 }}

In prehispanic times, the Compostela municipality area was inhabited by the Mazatán peoples, tributary of Xalisco-Zacualpan Kingdom.[http://www.e-local.gob.mx/wb2/ELOCAL/EMM_nayarit COMPOSTELA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110517162123/http://www.e-local.gob.mx/wb2/ELOCAL/EMM_nayarit |date=2011-05-17 }} Enciclopedia de los Municipios de México Nayarit (Spanish) Oct. 2010