La Cañada de la Virgen
One of the most recently excavated cities of ancient Mesoamerica, La Cañada de la Virgen represents the northern boundary of this pre-Columbian civilization whose ancestors and customs have only recently been revealed. Only the priestly castes lived on the site, which was occupied between approximately AD 540 and 1050. Ceremonial graves show that people were buried with pottery and other artifacts, as well as animals, such as the coyote, thought to guide the deceased to the afterlife. Among those discovered so far is the only female warrior found in Mesoamerica to date.
A half-dozen groups of buildings of locally quarried limestone in a variety of hues comprise the site. Both the access road and the temple mounds (the permanent structures on which temples of perishable materials were constructed) were aligned in a precise orientation (west to east) that mirrored the movement of the stars, sun, and moon.
Within Complex D, Casa del Viento (House of the Wind) is a circular building seemingly dedicated to Ehecatl, the god of the wind. In Complex B, Casa de la Noche Más Larga (House of the Longest Night) shows distinct periods of construction. Here are a steam bath and granary.
In Complex A, Casa de los 13 Cielos (House of the 13 Skies) is the only structure visitors can climb, and affords good views of the site and surrounding countryside. Atop the structure in Templo Rojo (Red Temple), archaeologists have discovered a burial site with an unusual twist: carbon dating indicates that the warrior entombed here died at least 1,000 years before he was buried in this location. Because this was earlier than the site’s founding, the corpse or skeleton was obviously transported here from elsewhere.
Unlike the major archaeological sites of southern Mexico, La Cañada de la Virgen (Virgin’s Canyon) sees only a few dozen visitors on an average day. All must meet at the visitor center, where a guide explains history during a short bus ride to the site, set among rolling hills and studded with mesquite trees, cacti, and other desert plants.
Tours leave on the hour, from 10 am to 4 pm. The nominal entrance fee includes guide (not all guides speak fluent English, though most speak enough to get by) and transportation from the visitor center to the archaeological site. Arrive 15 minutes before the hour to purchase tickets.
No bags or even purses are allowed on-site, so wear pants with pockets if you want to stash a camera or other items. Wear a sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
