The turnoff for Alta Vista and its archaeological site lies about an hour and a half north of Puerto Vallarta, on the way to Tepic. As we left the blacktop, we couldn’t help but notice the lush jungle and beautiful prairies surrounding the area. After navigating a maze of trails, we parked our vehicles and ventured deeper into the jungle on foot.
As we walked along a creek, the natural beauty made it apparent why this place was and is still so special. In contrast, as we reached the entrance to the 198-acre archaeological site, all we saw was a barbed-wire fence and an elderly gentleman sitting on a rock. He greeted us and politely asked for the fifteen peso entry fee.
We entered the site and immediately noticed a stone with three unusually symmetric, aligned holes. From there on out, everything pointed to this being an important place with a purpose – the place where the Tecoxquin people gave tributes and prayers to nature and to their gods.
A little farther down the rocky, overgrown jungle path, we saw a large boulder covered with carvings – spirals, mazes, and human-like figures. As we walked on, we crossed the creek a couple of times and became surrounded by more carvings, some small and some large. The hills were covered in thick jungle vegetation, which makes further exploration difficult without a guide and a proper machete.
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As the topography became more abrupt, we reached the “Kings Pool,” formed naturally by rocks in and around the creek. The place was majestic. The surrounding cube-like rocks seemed to be arranged on purpose to form a structure. They were completely different than the round granite river rocks usually found in the region. It was here that the largest concentration of carvings was visible.
Around the Kings Pool we found ceremonial offerings – several groups still come here at different times of the year to hold ceremonies and to present offerings to the weather deities and the Deer Grandfather.
Few studies have been done here, and I.N.A.H. hasn’t yet appropriated funds to properly study and restore the site. There are fifteen signs in both English and Spanish that explain the history of the area.
Alta Vista seems to have been founded as far back as 300 B.C. It’s believed that the carvings represent a 1500 year span of history. The techniques used in the carvings range from very simple chiseling to more complex abrasion and separation. The following are some documented interpretations of the glyphs.
The Spiral: Represents the wind, movement, the breath of the gods, the spoken word of men, and the ocean. Spirals with zigzags or jagged lines represent the five elements: wind, rain, lightning, mountain or cloud, and the mouth of the cave of the winds.
The Cross: Universal sign for the four winds or the five directions (four cardinal directions, plus the center). This symbol was used to call the rains and to expel evil.
Animals: Usually depict sacred animals such as the serpent, lizard, dog, and scorpion.
Holes: Some hole formations are linear, and others are semicircles.
It’s believed that the Tecoxquins used the site for several purposes. Some of the markings appear to be astronomical or cartographical in nature, while others are numerical. Alta Vista was a place that venerated and offered reverence to the sun, Mother Earth, the rain, the ocean, weather, plants, animals, and the sacred tree of life, often depicted as a Seiba tree.
Many civilizations after the Tecoxquins have also found Alta Vista to have a spiritual importance. When the first Spanish expeditions came across the site in the 17th century and found carvings of crosses, they believed that the apostle Matthew had traveled here to evangelize the natives. Today, the Huichol Indians’ shamans, called Marakames, converge here in a Nahalistic ritual aimed at connecting them with the Deer Grandfather. Other spiritual groups, scientists, and tourists are also drawn to the site’s magic.
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