Chiapa de Corzo site opened in Chiapas
Mike R
The Chiapa de Corzo archaeological site in Chiapas was opened by INAH
this week. It is located 2 kilometers from the Grijalva River and one
of the few Zoque sites open to the public. The site goes back to 1400
BCE and was a strategic site for commercial routes between the Gulf
and the Pacific. Land is being bought surrounding the site for further
excavations. There are 3 main buildings at the site where rulers
resided around 900 CE when 70,000 people lived in and around the site.
This site shows that not all Southeast Mexico sites are Maya. The site
had strong relations with the Olmecs from 850 BCE due to its closeness
to San Lorenzo, La Venta and Izapa. The Maya link came after 400 BCE
when the Zoque people adopted Maya Sierra Red pottery for manufacture.
60,000 ceramic fragments have been unearthed and have helped determine
the occupation record. The site was abandoned in 900 CE perhaps due to
commercial route changes or internal conflict. Zoque peoples came in
again afterwards as squatters.
INAH has the story here;
http://dti.inah.gob.mx/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogsection&id=3
9&Itemid=150
a tiny URL;
http://tinyurl.com/5hnjp5
Mike Ruggeri
Mike Ruggeri's The Ancient America's Breaking News
http://web.mac.com/michaelruggeri