Archaeology Travel Guide Mexico
From the Great Mural Rock Art tradition found in rock shelters on the Baja California Peninsular in northwest Mexico. To the artistic and architectural traditions of the Mesoamericans in the south. Mexico has some of the world’s most spectacular prehistoric art and archaeological monuments. Over 190 of Mexico’s archaeological sites are managed by the country’s Instituto Nacional de AntropologÃa e Historia enabling them to be open to the public. Each year they attract millions of visitors from all corners of the globe.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Add a header to begin generating the table of contents
Reasons to Visit Mexico
Ancient Ruins,
Rock Art,
Spanish Missions,
… and Adventure & Ecotourism.
Interesting Things to Know About Mexico
Mexico is the 13th largest country by area, 10th most populous and has the most Spanish speakers in the world. Greater Mexico City has a population of 21,800,000+, making it the sixth largest metropolitan area in the world, second largest urban agglomeration in the Western Hemisphere, behind Sao Paulo, Brazil, and the largest Spanish speaking city in the world.
Mexico, like the Americas in general, was inhabited around 15,000-13,000 BCE. Mexico is home to the earliest known example of domesticated plants, with maize domesticated around 8,000 BCE. Today, the Mexican government recognizes 68 national languages, 63 of which are indigenous. However, if one were to go by mutual intelligibility, that count increases, as some single languages contain several distinct dialects. Ethnologue currently counts 282 indigenous languages currently spoken in Mexico.
Mexico is the home of 35 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, of which 17 are Cultural, 7 Natural, and 2 Mixed. Mexico is first in the Americas and seventh in the world for number of UNESCO WHS, and is one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, ranking 5th in natural biodiversity. Mexican cuisine was recognized in 2010 by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
As of 2022, Mexico has 37,266 recorded archaeological sites, of which 174 are open to the public. Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de AntropologÃa e Historia (National Institute of Anthropology and History), which manages the conservation of Mexican cultural heritage, has been operating since 1939 and has over 850 researchers on staff. The capital of Mexico, Mexico City, is home to about 170 museums, putting it in the top ten cities in the world for number of museums, as well as over 100 art galleries and 30 concert halls.
Cholula is the oldest city in Mexico, being founded in 800-200 BCE. It is also home to the largest archaeological site of a pyramid in the New World, and the largest pyramid by volume known to exist in the world. Mexico is home to the first printing press established in the Americas. The location is conveniently and appropriately named Casa de la Primer Imprenta de America or The House of the First Printing Press in the Americas.
Find Places to Visit in Mexico
Featured Destination
MEXICO CITY
Mexico City is a vibrant and dynamic metropolis that offers visitors a unique blend of ancient history and modern culture. One of the most striking aspects of Mexico’s capital city is its rich history, with numerous sites and museums that provide insights into the country’s past. In addition to historical and cultural attractions, Mexico City is also known for delicious food, from street tacos to high-end restaurants.
Five Popular Attractions in Mexico
Chichén Itzá
Tula
Frida Kahlo Museum
Anthropology Museum
Teotihuacán
Explore Mexico more deeply
Where to Go in Mexico
Baja California, Baja California Sur
Aguascalientes, Guanajuato, Zacatecas, San Luis PotosÃ, Querétaro
Hidalgo, Mexico State, Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Veracruz
Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas
Colima, Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacan, Nayarit, Oaxaca
Campeche, Chiapas, Quintana Roo, Tabasco, Yucatán
Historic Cities in Mexico
Guadalajara
Mérida
Oaxaca
San Miguel de Allende
Taxco
What to See in Mexico
Rock Art in Mexico
Deep in the Sierra de San Francisco of Baja California is a concentration of some of the world’s most extraordinary rock art sites. The so-called Great Mural paintings made by hunters and gatherers before the arrival of Jesuit missionaries in the area. What makes the depictions here so extraordinary is their size. Around the country are some equally intriguing sites, such as the Las Labradas petroglyphs on the beach facing the Pacific Ocean.
