La Soledad de Maciel, also known in the region as “La Chole“, is located to the southeast of Ixtapa Zihuatanejo near the town of Petatán, accessible via Highway 200. The cut-off to the site, to the right when moving in the direction of Acapulco from Zihuatanejo, is near the small settlement of Palos Blancos and is clearly marked with a sign.
La Chole artifacts
The site is located in a dry rocky area of the Pacific coast surrounded by coconut plantations and includes several large stones carved with figures, a cave in which rock carvings can be seen, several un-excavated mounds, a ball court and the carved stone rings that were used in the court.
Many of the smaller artifacts found at the site are housed in Zihuatanejo’s Museo Arqueologico de la Costa Grande (Archaeological Museum). Some of the larger stone rings and cylinders are to be found in the Petatlan town plaza. If you wish to visit the site, the villagers will be glad to guide you for a modest fee, and taking a guide and thus supporting the town in its efforts, is definitely recommended.
For several years a collection of artifacts was on view in a small museum in the village of Soledad de Maciel that was set up by the local inhabitants for their display. Next to the town church one can see a large stone carved with petroglyphs. The villagers also sell replicas of some of the more interesting pieces.
In the past couple of years the INAH (Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia — the National Anthropology and History Insitute) has stepped in and has evaluated the La Chole site more extensively. Artifacts linked to many cultures, including the Tarascan, Aztec, Toltec and even Olmec and Maya cultures have been discovered as well as what is purported to be the largest known ball court in Mesoamerica. Funds are now being directed to the area for more study and excavations are underway, as well as for the construction of a new museum.
Related articles by Zemanta
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_c.png?x-id=d3642e24-84e9-4a25-b481-516077237c1a)
