A pre-Hispanic Chac Mool sculpture has been unearthed in the municipality of Pátzcuaro, Mexico, by archaeologists from the National Insтιтute of Anthropology and History (INAH). This significant find has led to the launch of an archaeological rescue initiative by Mexico’s Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the INAH Michoacán Center, aimed at further exploration around the discovery site.
A Chac Mool statue (not the one mentioned in the article). Credit: Ziko / CC BY-SA 3.0
The artifact, carved from basalt, stands out due to its size and craftsmanship. Measuring 90 cm in length and 80 cm in height, it weighs approximately 200 kilograms. INAH Michoacán archaeologist José Luis Punzo Díaz highlighted the importance of this find, noting its uniqueness as the first Chac Mool figure identified within the Pátzcuaro area—a region not previously ᴀssociated with such sculptures.
Chac Mool statues are iconic elements of Mesoamerican art, typically portraying reclining male figures with their heads turned sideways. These figures, originating from the Postclassic era (CE 900–1521), are believed to have served ritual purposes, possibly functioning as platforms for offerings or sacrificial elements in ancient ceremonies.
Interestingly, no accompanying artifacts or contextually linked materials have yet been located at the site. This absence suggests the possibility that the sculpture was displaced from its original setting and later embedded into the structural fill during the town’s development. Such a theory raises questions regarding its historical movement and reburial.
Large-scale pre-Columbian sculptures are rarely found in western Mexico, making this discovery all the more significant. Most Chac Mool examples have previously been documented in areas like Tula in Hidalgo, Chichén Itzá in Yucatán, and the Templo Mayor in Mexico City, underscoring the regional uniqueness of this find.
The newly recovered sculpture has since been transferred to the care of INAH specialists, who are now conducting thorough studies to evaluate its condition and further understand its cultural context and meaning.
This Chac Mool figure from Pátzcuaro now joins a limited number of similar artifacts known from the region. Among them are the “Ihuatzio chacmool” pieces from Michoacán: two examples unearthed in 1908, currently displayed at the National Museum of Anthropology and the Michoacán Regional Museum, as well as a specimen discovered in 1938 by Alfonso Caso and Jorge Acosta. Additionally, another Chac Mool is housed at the National Museum of Anthropology, though the details of its original discovery location remain unknown.
