Mayan Archaeological Sites in Yucatán
Archaeological Sites in Oaxaca
Archaeological Sites in Chiapas
Arqueología Campeche
Northern Mexico
Central Mexico
Central Mexico
Southern Mexico
Mayan Archaeological Sites in Yucatán
Archaeological Sites in Oaxaca
Arqueología Chihuahua
Arqueología Campeche
Northern Mexico
Central Mexico
Southern Mexico
It flourished 3,700 years ago during the Early Preclassic from 1300 to 600 B.C.
An ancient Olmec settlement, contemporary with La Venta.
After the decline of the Olmec culture, Tres Zapotes continued to be an important regional center until the Early Postclassic when it was abandoned.
The site of Tres Zapotes lies on the hillside of a swampy area, near the Papaloapan and San Juan rivers of southern Veracruz.
It was named by archaeologists after the evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Tres Zapotes.
Tres Zapotes
Must see Buildings
It was near Tres Zapotes that the first colossal head was discovered in 1862 by José Melgar. In the recent years only two 'monumental' heads have been found locally, labelled as "Monument A" and Monument Q", they measure slightly less than 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) high.
The site contains more than 150 structures and about forty stone sculptures. Most of the structures that have been identified are low residential platforms divided in four groups. The most noteworthy structure in the site is the Stela C, a rectangular basalt stone carved with a post-Olmec Izapa-style mask on one side, and the oldest Mesoamerican Long Count calendar expressed in bars and dots, this inscription suggested that the Olmecs and not the Maya were the inventors of the calendar.
Tres Zapotes Site Museum
There is a museum with two rooms, in the first one there is a human burial of the Classic period with its respective offering along with various pieces of ceramics and green stone; in the second room there are a number of sculptures, including the colossal head, stela A, D and of course the most important piece, stela C, which exhibits the “long count calendar”, the older of Mesoamerica.
Location
Located in the region of Los Tuxtlas, on the banks of the Hueyapan River. At the foot of Cerro del Vigía in the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, Estela Núñez s/n Community of Tres Zapotes, Veracruz, one hour from San Andrés Tuxtla.
Hours
Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 17:00 hrs.
English 
Español de México 
