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Cuahilama is a hill and an archaeological site located southeast of Santa Cruz Acalpixca, in the Cuahilama neighborhood, near the Xochimilco Archaeological Museum, in Mexico City. It was a ceremonial center. In the hill are pre-Hispanic images engraved in basaltic rock.
Apparently, Acalpixca was founded by the Nahua peoples around 1254 CE, the first Nahua peoples tribes arrived from Aztlán in the north to the Anáhuac Valley in 1265 CE, the first Xochimilca Lord, Acatonalli, founded the village on the Hill Cuauhilama. La flor mas bella del ejido. The most beautiful flower in town Between 1450 and 1521, Santa Cruz Acalpixca was a small village, although capital of the area, it was during this period that the petroglyphs were made.
Those settlers were farmers, founded the settlement with Acatonalli, its first ruler, who while facing food shortages proposed before the Council of elders, placing wooden rods filled with organic dirt, thereby over the water, creating the Chinampa in the Lake, agricultural method that has been transmitted from generation to generation since prehispanic times until the present day, they produced corn, chili pepper, beans, pumpkin and flowers as well as other crops. Un paseo por Xochimilco. A tour around Xochimilco
From Cuahilama, the Xochimilcas would have extended over the southern shore of the Xochimilco lake, the islets of Tláhuac and Míxquic, and towards the Sierra de Ajusco-Chichinauhtzin.
| + Xochimilco Approximate Chronology ! Period !colspan="2" | Subdivision ! Date ! Summary | Preclassical | Early Preclassical | 2500–1200 a. C. | Diffuse population | Mid-Preclassical | 1200 – 400 a. C. | Cuicuilco, Copilco & Tlatilco Tribes | Late Preclassical | 400 a. C. - 200 d. C. | Teotihuacans | Classical | 200 – 600 d. C. | Teotihuacans | Late Classical | 600 – 900 d. C. | Teotihuacans, Toltecs & Chichimecs | Postclassical | Early Preclassical | 900 – 1250 d. C. | Xochimilcas from Aztlán and Cuahilama settlement | Late Preclassical | 1250–1521 d. C. | Chinampas construction, subdued by Mexicas, Spanish conquest | Note: Periods used differ slightly from those used in the mesoamerican región, in general. | |||||||||||||
The site depicts cultural Aztec characteristics and possibly was a ceremonial center linked with agricultural fertility festivities and worship of the Sun reflected on calendar and astronomical events. Secretaría de Turismo Ciudad de México. Mexico City Tourism Secretariat
This prehispanic settlement celebrated every 52 years, the “Fuego Nuevo” (New Fire) ceremony, to ensure the arrival of the new sun. Zonas Arqueológicas de México, D.F. Archaeological sites in Mexico City
The site is famous for the petroglyphs located on the hillside and the slopes of the Hill, are prehispanic dating back to between 1200 and 1500 CE, these expressed the Xochimilcas worldview, and have been attributed ceremonial functions and deity veneration.
The Petroglyphs are stars, constellations and figures representations reportedly associated with the cult of fertility. Pueblos indigenas de México y agua:Xochimilcas. Mexican native towns and water: Xochimilco
Little has been done against the deterioration of the archaeological remains, which is on the verge of losing every cultural value as a result of urban growth and lack of protection Xochimilco, Tláhuac, Milpa Alta. by municipal authorities and the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), in spite of public complaints of looting of archaeological pieces, nothing has been done in the area. Comisión Nacional para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos indigenas. National Commission for Native Towns Development The Petroglyphs are unprotected, damaged by graffiti and abandonment.
The zone is private property, but the owners lack title to land, only private contracts, so purchase of the land is not possible.
When INAH was questioned on the lack of maintenance, they responded that in Mexico there are more than 10 thousand archaeological sites, and some "are of great relevance". The petroglyphs found in this area of Xochimilco are Aztec and were venerated deities; are stars representations, constellations and figures apparently associated with fertility cult. Abandono destruye vestigios, El Universal, Viernes 31 de julio de 2009 Abandonment destroys vestiges
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