Contexts and Meanings of Prehispanic Underwater Offerings Discovered in the Volcanic Lakes of Nevado de Toluca, Mexico

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Underwater and Coastal Archaeology in Latin America" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Nevado de Toluca is a volcano located in the central region of Mexico. At 4,200 m above sea level, there are two lakes inside its crater with evidence of rituals and prehispanic offerings. Archaeological evidence, recorded by both underwater and terrestrial archaeological practices, indicates a close symbolic relationship between water, meteorological forces, and the concept of the sacred Mesoamerican mountain. Due to the physical and chemical characteristics of the water, organic materials have been exceptionally preserved, like copal, maguey leaves, pine leaves, basketwork, and plant fibers. In this lecture, we present the context and meanings of these offerings to understand the ritual practices in their entirety considering ecological environment, prehispanic worldview, and the relationship of human groups with water.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)   •
• Underwater and Coastal Archaeology in Latin America

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38691.0