Casas Grandes

This article is about the pre-Columbian archaeological zone and site. For the modern-day Mexican municipality where the site is located, see Casas Grandes Municipality. For the municipal seat of Casas Grandes municipality, see Casas Grandes, Chihuahua. For the similarly named adjoining municipality, see Nuevo Casas Grandes. For other uses, see Casa Grande (disambiguation).
Casas Grandes
View of a section in Paquimé, Casas Grandes
LocationChihuahua, Mexico
Coordinates30°21′59″N 107°56′51″W / 30.36639°N 107.94750°W / 30.36639; -107.94750
Built1130 CE
Rebuilt1350 CE
Official nameArchaeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes
TypeCultural
Criteriaiii, iv
Designated1998 (22nd session)
Reference no.560rev
RegionLatin America and the Caribbean
Casas Grandes is located in Mexico
Casas Grandes
Location of Casas Grandes in Mexico

Casas Grandes (Spanish for Great Houses; also known as Paquimé) is a prehistoric archaeological site in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. Construction of the site is attributed to the Mogollon culture. Casas Grandes has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the purview of INAH and a "Pueblo Mágico" since 2015.[1]

Casas Grandes is one of the largest and most complex Mogollon culture sites in the region. Settlement began after 1130 AD, and the larger buildings developed into multi-storied dwellings after 1350 AD. The community was abandoned approximately in 1450 AD. Casas Grandes is regarded as one of the most significant Mogollon archaeological zones in the northwestern Mexico region,[2] linking it to other sites in Arizona and New Mexico in the United States, and demonstrating the extent of the Mogollon sphere of influence.

The Casas Grandes complex is situated in a broad, fertile valley along the Casas Grandes or San Miguel River, approximately 56 kilometres (35 mi) south of Janos and 240 kilometres (150 mi) northwest of the state capital, Chihuahua. The settlement depended on irrigation to sustain its agricultural activities.

The archaeological zone is contained within the eponymous modern municipio (municipality) of Casas Grandes.[3] The valley and region have been inhabited by aboriginal groups for millennia.

  1. ^ Turismo, Secretaría de. "Casas Grandes, Chihuahua". gob.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-25.
  2. ^ Phillips and Bagwell (2001)
  3. ^ Not to be confused with the adjoining, separate Chihuahuan municipality, Nuevo Casas Grandes.