Cerro de la Estrella (archeological site)

Cerro de la Estrella is a mesoamerican archaeological site located in southeastern Central Mexico's Valley of Mexico, in the Iztapalapa delegación (borough) of the Mexican Federal District at an elevation of 2460 meters (8070ft) above sea level, hence its Summit is 224 m over the Valley of Mexico level. At the southeast edge of what was the Great Texcoco Lake.

Historical sources establish that ancient inhabitants of the Mexican Plateau knew this place as Huizachtecatl. The site was very important since the “New Fire” ritual ceremony was performed here; it had a profound meaning for the population here and in surrounding regions.

The oldest traces of human occupation in the Iztapalapa territory originated at Santa María Aztahuacan village. In 1953 remains of two individuals were found and, according to analysis performed by National University of Mexico (UNAM) and by Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia, these human remains are approximately nine thousand years old.

More recent archaeological materials indicate continued occupation of the Cerro de la Estrella slopes, at least from the Preclassical period. At that time, a village related to the Cuicuilco culture was established here. Cuicuilco, in the South of the Valley of Mexico, declined approximately in 8th century CE possibly due to the eruption of the Xitle volcano.

Towards the end of the Preclassical period commenced occupation by Culhuacán. During the classical period, Culhuacán, as most cities in the Valley of Mexico and Mesoamerica, was part of a trade system centered in Teotihuacan. After the fall of this city, approximately in the 8th century d. C., some of its inhabitants took refuge in the ancient coastal towns of Texcoco Lake such as Culhuacán. A cultural Teotihuacan haven remained there, later merged with warrior peoples, migrating towards the center of México.

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