The Guachimontones archaeological site and the adjacent Phil Weigand Interpretive Center, located in Teuchitlán about a 90-minute drive west of Guadalajara, is hosting a series of cultural activities over the coming weeks.
Guachimontones is one of the most important pre-Hispanic settlements in western Mesoamerica. Dating from 300 BCE to 450/500 CE, it is famous for its unique circular stepped pyramids, along with ball courts, plazas and terraces. +
•Ancestral Ball Game Exhibition: Witness a traditional pre-Hispanic ball game played using only the hips, a practice with over 2,000 years of history in the region. The game, known locally as “Batey” — a name found in colonial-era chronicles of Western Mexico — differs from the more widely recognized Mesoamerican ball game with rings; this version uses no ring as a goal. Evidence of the game in the Occidente region dates back to at least 200 BCE.
Sundays, June 21 and 28, and July 5, 11 a.m. Included with museum admission.
• “Ehécatl” Pre-Hispanic Dance Performance: A ceremonial dance performance featuring ritual music, drumming and symbolic body movements honoring the cultural traditions of the Teuchitlán region.
Saturdays, June 20 and 27, and July 4, noon. Included with museum admission.
• Rezo a Tláloc (Prayer to Tláloc, the rain god): A ritual and community experience connecting the pre-Hispanic past with the present, dedicated to the god of rain.
Sundays, ongoing (starting June 14). Included with museum admission.