SURVEYING CERRO DE MOCTEZUMA, CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO

Abstract

Cerro de Moctezuma is conspicuous for having the only known habitation (El Pueblito) on a hill in the Casas Grandes Valley and has drawn the attention of explorers and archaeologists for more than a century. The first systematic mapping project at Cerro de Moctezuma is presented and evaluated against settlement system data from the Casas Grandes region. The results of the project show that the hill has a greater variety and number of features than most nearby settlements. These findings indicate that Cerro de Moctezuma was a specialized site related to the ritual and political structure that emanated from the preeminent center of Paquimé.