Tlatilco culture facts for kids

The Tlatilco culture was an ancient group of people who lived in the Valley of Mexico. They thrived between 1250 BCE and 800 BCE. This time is known as the Early Formative period in Mesoamerica.

Important places where the Tlatilco culture lived include Tlatilco, Tlapacoya, and Coapexco. These were major sites where their remains have been found.

The Tlatilco culture became more advanced than earlier groups. They had more complex ways of living, with people doing different jobs. Their society also had different levels, like a chiefdom. The main centers of this culture were Tlatilco and Tlapacoya.

During this time, people traded a lot over long distances. They traded things like iron ore, obsidian (a type of volcanic glass), and greenstone. This trade helped bring the influence of the Olmec culture to Tlatilco. Tlatilco-style pottery has even been found far away, near Cuautla, Morelos, about 90 miles (140 km) to the south.

What Defines the Tlatilco Culture?

When archaeologists study the Tlatilco culture, they look for certain things. These include special art, pottery, and ceramics from a time called the Early Horizon. This period is also known as the Olmec or San Lorenzo Horizon. It was Mesoamerica's first widespread archaeological horizon.

Specifically, the Tlatilco culture is known for:

• Both everyday pottery and special pottery used for rituals.
• Figurines of animals and humans made in a unique style.
• Clay masks and other interesting objects used in ceremonies.
• Detailed burials with gifts left for the dead.
• Decorations, patterns, and figurines in the style of the Olmec culture. These include hollow "baby-face" figurines and figures of men dressed in special costumes.

The influence of the Olmec culture was very clear. One study of Tlatilco burials found many Olmec-style objects. These were common in the graves of people with higher status, especially in earlier times. However, having more Olmec objects didn't always mean someone was richer. While richer graves had more Olmec items, these items made up a smaller part of all the treasures found there.

Phases of the Tlatilco Culture

A famous archaeologist named Christine Niederberger Betton studied the Valley of Mexico in 1987. She identified two main periods, or phases, of the Tlatilco culture:

• Ayotla (Coapexco) phase: This period lasted from 1250 BCE to 1000 BCE.
• Manantial phase: This period followed, from 1000 BCE to 800 BCE.

Olmec-style artifacts suddenly appeared in large numbers at the start of the Ayotla (Coapexco) phase. They were found everywhere.

However, around 1000 BCE, at the end of the Ayotla phase, there was a sudden change in pottery. Figurines of costumed men were replaced by figures of nude women. Olmec-style art also started to look more like local Tlatilco art. These changes likely show new religious ideas and practices.

By 800 BCE, the unique features of the Tlatilco culture began to disappear. By 700 BCE, another city called Cuicuilco became the biggest and most important city in the Valley of Mexico. It grew much larger than Tlatilco and Tlapacoya.

See also

In Spanish: Cultura de Tlatilco para niños