Oaxaca opens its latest archaeological site near Huatulco

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• Published on Tuesday, 06 December 2011 23:26
• By Veronica French

Oaxaca Opens Its Latest Archaeological Site Near Huatulco.

Copalita, the Tulum of the Pacific Coast, opens its doors to visitors.

The National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) recently inaugurate Copalita, Oaxaca’s 13th discovered archeological site located 10 minutes south of Huatulco. Discovered in 1997, INAH invested nearly 10 million pesos developing the Copalita archeological site, a Mixtec and Zapotec city with nearly two thousand years of history, now open to visitors.

Facing the Pacific Ocean, Copalita has been referred to as the “Tulum of the Pacific Coast”, one of the few archeological sites linked to a seaside tourism destination in Mexico. Situated in thick jungle on a cliff by the ocean, Copalita is home to 11 endemic bird species and overlooks a lagoon flowing into the ocean. The site measures 201 acres, however only 86 acres are open to the public since much of the site still requires further excavation and restoration. 

Part of its facilities include a modern museum with pieces found onsite, including jewelry and tools made from obsidian and jade traded from northern parts of Mexico, suggesting the presence of an advanced commercial city. Its name, Copalita, refers to the vast amount of copal found in the area, a tree resin used as incense during ceremonies, a common item found across Mesoamerican cultures.

After over 10 years of studying the site, INAH scholars still lack complete information about the site and its previous inhabitants, however they estimate that Copalita’s population may have reached over 2,000 people during its peak. The site had been inhabited at two different periods of time, once between 200 and 500 AD, abandoned between 500 and 900 AD, later inhabited again during 1000 AD until the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores.