Peralta (Mesoamerican site)

Peralta is a prehispanic Mesoamerican archaeological site located in Abasolo Municipality, Guanajuato, just outside the village of San Jose de Peralta in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. The region was initially settled around 100 AD, and the site reached its apex between 300 and 700 CE, during which time Teotihuacan was declining and Tula was rising. According to archeologists, the city declined and collapsed by 900 CE due to overexploitation of the surrounding deciduous rainforest, leading the population to revert to a nomadic lifestyle.

The site occupies 150 hectares and is divided into a center with five surrounding settlements. It was home to many structures, of which 22 pyramids have been identified, including a multitude of terraced agricultural fields that supported the population. The most important structure is the double temple structure, with a "Patio Hundido" (Sunken Patio). Another important building is the Main Structure, called by some La Mesita (The Small Table) or Recinto de los Gobernantes (Governors’ Precinct). It has a large plaza which is considered to have been the main square for the city. Among the walls and other structures a semicircle dedicated to the Danza de los Voladores has been discovered.

The site is part of what is known as the "Bajio tradition", characterized by unique styles of architecture and ceramics. Its large constructions place Peralta among the largest Tradition sites and contain one of the largest ceremonial centers in the region. The cultures of the Bajio remain poorly understood. Although they were originally thought to have been hunter-gatherer and fishing Chichimec groups, it is now known that places such as Peralta lay upon trade routes between central Mexico and northern and western Mesoamerica. The inhabitants of Peralta are believed to have formed autonomous agricultural societies that formed social and religious networks, probably linked by family ties and regional governments. These societies traded foodstuff items, baskets, ornaments and luxury items such as turquoise jewels, shell collars and obsidian items. Other important sites of the Bajio tradition include San Bartolome (Tzchté), San Miguel Viejo, Tepozán, Loza Los Padres and Peñuelas. Circular structures, common across prehispanic Mesoamerica, confirm that the Bajio tradition had constant relations with other cultures.