” Las 40 Casas ” is an archaeological zone located in the state of Chihuahua, which keeps a mythical history about its settlement in a rocky region, and the activities that may have occurred there.
In what part of Chihuahua are the “Las 40 Casas” located?
The archaeological site of “ Las 40 Casas ” is located 320 kilometers northwest of the city of Chihuahua and 42.5 kilometers from Ciudad Madera.
To access the site, take the highway to Ciudad Cuauhtémoc , Ciudad Guerrero and Ciudad Madera . From there, continue along the road that leads to El Largo or Mesa del Huracán, until kilometer 42 where the access door to this area is.
Why is it called “Las 40 Casas”?
” Las 40 Casas ” is the name with which the population of the region named the site, referring to an indeterminate number of rock shelters featuring archaeological remains, and referring to the number forty to say “many”.
These are buildings of earth and wood, located within the ravines of the Sierra Madre Occidental. Archaeologists call these types of sites “Cliff Houses” or “Cliff Dwellings”.
In the last 10 years of research, more than 180 sites of this type have been registered.
The settlement of “ Las 40 Casas ” in Chihuahua was important in the relations that the ancient city of Paquimé had with the coastal regions of the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of California.
- Its original inhabitants cultivated corn, squash and legumes
- They collected seeds of yucca, wild acorns and maguey
- They hunted deer, rabbit, rodents, as well as birds of different types, of which they used their meat and their feathers for ornamental and exchange purposes, having found evidence of these remains in the excavations made at the end of the 20th century by Dr. Arturo Guevara Sanchez
Is this area open to the public?
- Viewing days: Monday to Sunday
- Archaeological zone and viewpoints hours: 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Schedule for guided tours: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Source: UNO TV