ZONA ARQUEOLÓGICA PLAZUELAS

The archaeological site of Plazuelas opened in 2006. It comprises seven groups of buildings spread over three mountain slopes, themselves separated by two canyons. They were communicated by both wide avenues and paths winding up the mountainside, all converging on the same water source. Each of these flanks has distinct architectural influences. The western slope is home to a juego de pelota court and residential terraces, and it is at the foot of this that four scattered fragments of a large sculpture with engraved motifs alluding to the natural elements were found; the eastern slope is home to a more complex complex complex of ceremonial plazas and pyramidal bases. The central slope is the one that is currently open to the public, where the most complex and extensive building of the site was built: Las Casas Tapadas, with several pyramidal bases and associated with a second ball court, itself surrounded by other platforms. The walls of the canyons contain at least 1,200 petroglyphs, representing geometric and abstract forms; stones are engraved with architectural motifs, among them the petroglyph known as La Maqueta, a representation of Las Casas Tapadas. The great diversity of the pieces exhibited in the site's museum testifies to the vigour of commercial and cultural exchanges with other surrounding regions.