Teopantecuanitlán — Balsas Olmec Center
Early–Middle Formative (1500–500 BCE)·Olmec (Guerrero Olmec)·🇲🇽 Guerrero, Mexico
About
About Teopantecuanitlán — Balsas Olmec Center
Teopantecuanitlán — Balsas Olmec Center in Guerrero, Mexico is a Early–Middle Formative (1500–500 BCE) ancient-city attributed to Olmec (Guerrero Olmec). Four patio groups with sunken court and were-jaguar ballcourt monoliths. Morales: Olmec centre with Patio Hundido 4 monoliths with jaguar mouths, earliest Mesoamerican ballcourt?
Why it mattersKey Olmec (Guerrero Olmec) compound illustrating Teotihuacan urban organization
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Urban craft specialization
- 02Mural iconography interpretation
Theories
- 01Multi-ethnic barrio model
- 02Theocratic palace administration
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 1000 BCE
- Period
- Early–Middle Formative (1500–500 BCE)
- Culture
- Olmec (Guerrero Olmec)
- Purpose
- Four patio groups with sunken court and were-jaguar ballcourt monoliths
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 1000 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1960 CE
Modern INAH excavation
On the ground
Structures & features
17.8800° N · 99.1000° W · 800 m · 3 mapped features
Teopantecuanitlán — Balsas Olmec Center — Central Patio/Temple
patioMain ceremonial patio or temple
17.8802° N · 99.0999° WTeopantecuanitlán — Balsas Olmec Center — Residential Compound
compoundApartment or house compound
17.8798° N · 99.0998° WTeopantecuanitlán — Balsas Olmec Center — Workshop / Midden Area
workshopCraft workshop or midden
17.8804° N · 99.1002° W