List of Figures

Figure   1.   Map of West México, indicating the main physiographic areas.
Figure   2.   Map of Northwest México, indicating the political divisions and major archaeological sites.
Figure   3.   Main lakes and rivers of the Occidente.
Figure   4.   Ceramic figurines from El Opeño, Michoacán (after Oliveros 2004, Láminas 1 -2).
Figure   5.   Ceramic figurines from El Opeño, Michoacán, probably representing ball players (after Oliveros 2004, Figure 11a).
Figure   6.   Drawing indicating the position of burials and offerings in two of the El Opeño tombs (numbers 5 and 6) (after Oliveros 2004, Figure 9).
Figure   7.   Pottery found in one of the El Opeño tombs, decorated with paint, incisions and punching (after Oliveros 2004, Lámina 3).
Figure   8.   Ceramic vessel, Capacha, Colima. This gourd-shaped olla is decorated with incised lines (Museo Nacional de Antropología, México City. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure   9.   Ceramic vessel, Capacha, Colima. Decorated with dots and incised lines in a "sun-burst pattern" (Museo Nacional de Antropología, México City. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 10.   Ceramic vessel, Capacha, Colima. This complex shape is typical of Capacha ceramics (Museo María Ahumada, Colima, Col. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 11.   Anthropomorphic clay figurines of "H-4" type. Chupícuaro, Guanajuato. (Private collection. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 12.   Anthropomorphic clay figurine with geometric, polychrome decoration. Chupícuaro, Guanajuato (private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 13.   Anthropomorphic clay figurine with geometric, polychrome decoration. Chupícuaro, Guanajuato (private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 14.   Clay vessel with "stirrup-spout" and geometric, polychrome decoration. Chupícuaro, Guanajuato (private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 15.   Loma Alta, Michoacán, burials with offerings (after Arnauld et al. 1993, Figure 29).
Figure 16.   Clay pot (urn) used to bury incinerated, pulverized (human?) bone, with a tripod polychrome plate used as lid. Loma Alta, Michoacán (after Arnauld et al 1993, Figure 30).
Figure 17.   Pottery bowl with polychrome decoration. Loma Alta, Michoacán (after Arnauld et al 1993, Figure 33).
Figure 18.   Teotihuacán-style pottery found in Michoacán. Museo Michoacano, Morelia, Michoacán (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 19.   Anthropomorphic stone brazier (Teotihuacán style) found in Michoacán. Museo Michoacano, Morelia, Michoacán (photo by Eduardo Williams; see Williams 1992, Figure 18).
Figure 20.   La Campana, Colima, main pyramid with smoking volcano in background (after Jarquín and Martínez 2002).
Figure 21.   Teuchitlán, Jalisco. Reconstruction of the Guachimontón complex with central mound and circular platforms (after Beekman and Weigand 2000).
Figure 22.   Hypothetical reconstruction of a West-Mexican shaft tomb (after Cuevas and Pickering 2004).
Figure 23.   Anthropomorphic hollow clay figure of the "shaft-tomb tradition" (private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 24.   Anthropomorphic hollow clay figure of the "shaft-tomb tradition" representing a warrior (Nayarit, "Chinesco" style, private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 25.   Anthropomorphic hollow clay figure of the "shaft-tomb tradition" representing a seated male individual (Jalisco or Colima, private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 26.   Anthropomorphic hollow clay figure of the "shaft-tomb tradition" representing a horned individual with an object in his hand (Colima, private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 27.   Zoomorphic hollow clay figurine of the "shaft-tomb tradition" representing a dog (Colima, private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 28.   Anthropomorphic hollow clay figurine of the "shaft-tomb tradition" representing a kneeling, nude female individual (Nayarit, "Chinesco" style, private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 29.   Anthropomorphic hollow clay figurine of the "shaft-tomb tradition" representing a seated female individual (Nayarit, "Chinesco" style, private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 30.   Clay village scene, showing a central mound with many platforms in a circular distribution. Compare with Figure 21. (Nayarit, private collection, after von Winning 1996).
Figure 31.   Clay vessel of the "shaft-tomb tradition" (provenience unknown, private collection, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 32.   Huitzilapa, Jalisco. Main ceremonial precinct showing mounds, circular complex and ball game (after Ramos and López 1995).
Figure 33.   Huitzilapa, Jalisco. Plan and side view of the mound and the excavated shaft-tomb (after Ramos and López 1995).
Figure 34.   Huitzilapa, Jalisco. The north burial chamber, showing skeletons and offerings (after Ramos and López 1995).
Figure 35.   Huitzilapa, Jalisco. The south burial chamber, showing skeletons and offerings (pottery vessels, anthropomorphic figures, grindstones) (after Ramos and López 1995).
Figure 36.   Huitzilapa, Jalisco. The north chamber seen from the shaft entrance during excavation (after Ramos and López 1995).
Figure 37.   Huitzilapa, Jalisco. Shell ornaments with anthropomorphic attributes found associated with the burials in the shaft tomb (after Lopez Mestas 2004).
Figure 38.   Huitzilapa, Jalisco, shell ornaments found associated with the burials in the shaft tomb (after Lopez Mestas 2004).
Figure 39.   Huitzilapa, Jalisco. Conch-shell trumpet (Fasciolaria princeps) found in the shaft-tomb (after Lopez Mestas 2004).
Figure 40a.   Bronze tweezers of ritual use from Michoacán (after Hosler 1994).
Figure 40b.   Bronze bells of ritual use from Michoacán (after Hosler 1994).
Figure 41.   Ixtlán, Nayrit. After the demise of the "shaft-tomb tradition" sites like Ixtlán appear in West México, showing influence from central México (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 42.   Another view of the Ixtlán, Nayrit archaeological site. (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 43.   El Chanal, Colima, one of the most important sites in the Occidente during the early Postclassic period (after Olay 2004).
Figure 44.   El Chanal, Colima. This is one of the few sites with monumental architecture excavated and partially restored in this part of the Occidente (after Olay 2004).
Figure 45.   El Chanal, Colima. Only a small portion of this archaeological site has been preserved; the area outside the ceremonial precinct, where most of the population lived, has been destroyed (after Olay 2004).
Figure 46.   Map showing the area covered by the Tarascan empire during the Protohistoric period (after Williams 2003: Figure 8, adapted from Pollard 2000: Figures 5.1 and 6.2).
Figure 47.   Obsidian was one of the most important resources for the Tarascan state. This figure shows two knives and a "blank" for making a lip plug or ear spool, symbols of nobility among the Tarascan. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 48.   Obsidian knife, probably used for ritual or ceremonial activities, found in Tarascan territory. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 49.   The yácata is a type of ceremonial structure found in the Tarascan territory (Tzintzuntzan, Michoacán, photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 50.   The main platform in Tzintzuntzan, where the ancient city's ceremonial compound was located (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 51.   Only a few traces remain of the "palaces", or buildings where the elite lived in Tzintzuntzan, the capital of the Tarascan state (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 52.   Ruins of a Tzintzuntzan "palace", facing lake Pátzcuaro. This city's strategic location meant it had access to a wide range of resources in the lake area (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 53.   Ruins of a Prehispanic building in Pátzcuaro, one of the few examples of ancient architecture still visible underneath the modern city (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 54.   Twin pyramids at Ihuatzio, a Tarascan site near lake Pátzcuaro, Michoacán (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 55.   Panoramic view of Ihuatzio, with lake Pátzcuaro in the background (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 56.   The Tarascans built huge structures at Ihuatzio; they were reserved to the nobility (photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 57.   Tarascan pottery from the Protohistoric period is characterized by "negative painting". (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 58.   This pot from the Tarascan period was probably buried as an offering in an elite tomb. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 59.   Fine pottery, like these pots, was considered a strategic resource by the ancient Tarascans (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 60.   This tripod vessel is characteristic of the Tarascan culture. Its use was reserved to the elite. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 61.   The Tarascans incorporated many elements from previous times, such as "negative painting", as seen in this tripod plate. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 62.   Incense burning was an important part of ritual activity, and censers such as this one were used by Tarascan priests. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 63.   Green stones were among the most coveted items in the Tarascan world. The necklace and earrings shown here were probably found in an elite tomb. The earrings are made of gold and greenstone. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 64.   Jade earspools. Jade was not found in Tarascan territory; it was brought from southern Mesoamerica, therefore it was considered precious. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 65.   Jade necklace with a jade and gold pendant. These items were reserved for the elite. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 66.   Anthropomorphic stone sculpture in the shape of a "chac-mool". The style is characteristic of Prehispanic Tarascan culture. (Museo Nacional de Antropología, México City. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 67.   Stone sculpture in the shape of a coyote. Tarascan culture. (Museo Michoacano, Morelia. Photo by Eduardo Williams).
Figure 68.   Stone sculpture in the shape of an anthropomorphic coyote. Tarascan culture. (Private collection. Photo by Eduardo Williams).

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