Tamuín

Small, lightly visited site. Built between the 8th and 16th centuries. At least three surveys and excavations were conducted here during the 20th century and the most significant relics were taken to the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Mexico City. The site is well maintained with several temples and other structures in excellent condition.

Throughout Mexico, the archaeology tells a tale of male-dominated societies. Tamtoc dramatically turns that on its head. This was a female-dominated site that celebrates the female importance to life itself. It was a place that worshipped a female god and was dominated by female priestesses. A gravesite was found to contain 90% female skeletons. The site centers on a ceremonial plaza bordered by 23 buildings, with five platforms for conducting rituals occupying the center. These are surrounded by 13 round habitations and two rectangular, terraced large buildings which were probably for community use. The town was probably started around 600 BC with a peak between 200 - 1300 AD at which time the population is estimated to be about 4,000 people. One of the most significant finds was a statue of a woman that is popularly called "Venus of Tamtoc" but that archaeologists call "The scarified woman" because of the evident tattoos on her thighs. It was initially thought that she represented a fertility goddess, but anthropologists now believe that her tattoos tie into the Meso-american calendar. Active excavations and restoration work is ongoing.