History
El Chanal, about 4 kilometres north of Colima, was probably the largest pre-Hispanic settlement in what is now Colima state, spreading across more than 50 hectares along the Río Verde. Inhabited perhaps as early as around 1300 BC, it flourished between 1100 and 1400 CE as a major ceremonial center with connections across Mesoamerica. Its layout followed the valley’s slope and included plazas, altars, palaces, double temples, pyramidal structures, and a ballgame court. Finds linked to deities such as Tláloc, Ehécatl, and Xipe Totec, along with distinctive carved reliefs and ritual ceramics, highlight its strong religious character and far-reaching contacts.
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Colima · Mexico
