The Scales of the Landscape in Tarascan Rock art of the Postclassic Period (AD 1200-1520): the Petroglyphs of El Paraiso, Zacapu, Michoacan (Mexico).

Author(s): Brigitte Faugere

Year: 2016

Summary

As in other regions of the world, the rock art of northern Michoacan (Mexico) has to be seen within a given landscape. But the study of the El Paraiso petroglyphs (Zacapu) shows that there is in reality a complex set of intricate scales of landscapes: since a macro scale that involves the whole surrounding environment to a micro scale where the engraved blocks themselves form a sacred geography. The 3D survey realized recently highlights the subtle dialogue between the location of the blocks, the orientation of the decorated panels and the iconography. A part of the myths of Tarascan people of the Postclassic period seems to become accessible.

Cite this Record

The Scales of the Landscape in Tarascan Rock art of the Postclassic Period (AD 1200-1520): the Petroglyphs of El Paraiso, Zacapu, Michoacan (Mexico).. Brigitte Faugere. Presented at The 81st Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology, Orlando, Florida. 2016 ( tDAR id: 403483)

Keywords

General
Mexico Michoacan rockart

Geographic Keywords
Mesoamerica

Spatial Coverage

min long: -107.271; min lat: 12.383 ; max long: -86.353; max lat: 23.08 ;