Calle de La Mona No. 17, Colonia Independencia, Municipio Acapulco de Juárez, C.P. 39510. Guerrero.
From the city of Acapulco, take the Costera Miguel Aleman to the junction with Escudero avenue, and continue along Aquiles Serdán and Constituyentes towards Palma Sola avenue; the last section of the route is done on foot.
Ceremonial center of the ancient inhabitants (800 BC-750 AD) of the heights above Acapulco bay, in the state of Guerrero, with 18 impressive carved rocks depicting myths, personages, the natural environment, agricultural cults and the measurement of time.
Palma Sola covers an area of approximately 9 acres of the “amphitheater” on the upper part of the Cerro El Veladero. It was no accident that this particular spot was chosen for a ceremonial center. This is where two streams emerge and there is a rocky crag; it is also a spot which overlooks not only the lower slopes of the hill but also the bay. This is where the local people from Hornos, Caleta, Puerto Marqués, Zapotillo and Tambuco used to climb up to celebrate their religious festivals. The site was also used for astronomical readings in order to determine the rainy periods, the sowing season and the dry periods.
Even though it has not been possible to determine exactly the dates the site was occupied, some of the archeological features can be dated to the Middle Preclassic and the Epiclassic (800 BC- 750 AD).
The archeological site, covering about half a mile in length, includes nearly twenty rock carvings made with a chiseling technique. Generally these are schematic outlines of human figures (anthropomorphic), animals (zoomorphic) and geometrical motifs, together with what might be calendar records. Rock carvings 1, 10, 11 and 15 are especially important because of their complexity and interpretation.
Petrogravure is one of the manifestations of the so-called rock art, that is, those vestiges of human activity that were painted or engraved on rock shelters.
It is located on the rocky shelter that covers Element 1. It has several petroglyphs of geometric style and possible astral motifs, as well as a rectangular hollow that was probably used in propitiatory rites and rain petition.
Popularly called “La Mona”, it describes an ancestral creation myth, in which the original couple (man and woman, whose genitals can be seen) was created by a divinity in a cave with a stream of water.
Characters participating in a ritual celebration. They are reproduced full-length and with arms raised, suggesting that the celebration included dance and prayer.
Schematization of a human body. The face is reduced to a square with eyes and mouth, and an ornament on the forehead. From there, two lines are drawn that correspond to the legs. Above this motif, two other designs of synthesized faces can be seen.
Three sets representing schematic human figures with different headdresses. The design of a ritual mask stands out.
Several schematic faces, with rectangular outline and well-defined round eyes.
Circle in whose interior four figures similar to stepped pyramids were engraved. Each of them has three levels connected to a central circle by lines.
Set divided by three long lines through which water could have flowed to carry out propitiatory rites and rain petition.
On the surface of the rock there is a group of characters in ritual attitude (praying or dancing). The lines that link them may indicate kinship relationships.
