Abstract

ESPARZA LOPEZ, Rodrigo et al. Petromagnetic and acheomagnetic study of the El Cerrito de Los Agaves site in the southeastern part of the Jalisco highlands, Mexico. Bol. Soc. Geol. Mex [online]. 2021, vol.73, n.3, 00018.  Epub Jan 31, 2022. ISSN 1405-3322.  https://doi.org/10.18268/bsgm2021v73n3a210121.

The Altos de Jalisco region is still poorly understood in terms of its cultural dynamics. Extensive relationships have been identified with other nearby cultural areas, especially with the Bajío and the Lerma-Santiago River Basin. Much of the settlements so far discovered in this region belong to the Epiclassic period (600-900 AD) whose settlement pattern is similar with sites established on nearby plateaus. Many of these sites are build-up of sunken courtyards, closed squares, as well as palaces with columns that suggest hierarchical societies. One of these sites that stands out in this region is the Presa de la Luz extensively investigated since 2012. Our interest is to recognize the role and dynamics in context of Los Altos de Jalisco zone and its relationship with other surrounding areas. Within the site, there is a complex of buildings called El Cerrito de Los Agaves, where series of deep (about 4 m) burned floors were identified. Archaeomagnetic dating of apparently two independent floors provides age intervals around 1000 AD. Presumably, these dates correspond to the period of abandonment of the site since they are remarkably similar to the ages reported for the Plazuelas (Guanajuato) site (105 km east of this site). These results were also compared with the architecture of the place and the archaeological materials from excavation, mainly ceramics. It may be concluded that this part of the Altos de Jalisco belongs the same regional social dynamics during the Epiclassic.

Keywords : Archaeomagnetism; Altos de Jalisco; archaeology; chronology; archaeomagnetic dating.

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