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Angamuco
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Map showing location of Angamuco in Mexico
Map showing location of Angamuco in Mexico
Location in Mexico
Location Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico
Coordinates 19°35′03″N 101°29′42″W / 19.5840293°N 101.4948909°W / 19.5840293; -101.4948909
History
Founded circa 900 CE
Cultures Purépecha civilization

Angamuco is the name of a very large ancient city. It was built by the Purépecha civilization in Mexico. Today, its ruins are hidden under plants near Lake Pátzcuaro. This amazing city was discovered in 2007.

In 2012, scientists used a special technology called LiDAR. LiDAR uses lasers to create detailed maps of the ground. This helps them see things hidden by trees. Using LiDAR, archaeologists found about 39,000 buildings at Angamuco. This is about the same number of buildings as in Manhattan!

Angamuco covered an area of about 25 square kilometers (about 10 square miles). This is less than half the size of Manhattan. Experts believe the city started around 900 CE. It was most important between 1000 and 1350 CE. During this time, over 100,000 people lived there. This made Angamuco the biggest city in western Mexico back then. It was even larger than Tzintzuntzan, which was the capital city of the Purépecha people.

Discovering Angamuco

How Angamuco Was Found

Angamuco was first found in 2007. It was a big discovery for archaeologists. The city's ruins were covered by thick plants. This made them hard to see from the ground.

Using New Technology

To find out more, scientists used LiDAR. LiDAR stands for "Light Detection and Ranging." It sends out laser pulses. These pulses bounce off the ground and come back. This creates a 3D map of the land. It can even see through forests! This technology helped them map the entire city. They could see where buildings and streets once were.

Life in Ancient Angamuco

A Busy City

Angamuco was a very busy place. It was home to many thousands of people. The city had a huge number of buildings. It was a major center for the Purépecha people.

Why Angamuco Was Important

This city was very important for its time. It was the largest city in western Mexico. It was bigger than the Purépecha capital. This shows how powerful and organized the Purépecha civilization was.

The Purépecha Civilization

Who Were the Purépecha?

The Purépecha were an ancient people. They lived in the area of Michoacán, Mexico. They had a strong kingdom called the Tarascan State. They were known for their skills. These skills included metalwork and building.

Their Capital City

The main capital of the Purépecha was Tzintzuntzan. It was also a large city. But Angamuco was even bigger in terms of area. This suggests Angamuco played a different role. It might have been a major farming or trade center.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Angamuco para niños

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