
Petrograbados
Estructura
Due to its petroglyphs, the site on the slopes of the Delgado and Ancho hills is known by the locals as Tehuetitla, a Nahuatl term that means place of the old stones. The iconographic elements captured by the Olmecs in these monuments stand out for their religious content and artistic quality, as well as for being considered the only reliefs of the Middle Preclassic in the Central Highlands.
Monument 1. The Water Giver: This monument, also known as “The King”, has as its central theme fertility, the water cycle and its association with the three planes of the universe (celestial, earthly and underworld), each one represented by its basic elements: the underworld by the cave contained in the mountain, the earthly by the plants and the armor of the hill, and the celestial by the clouds and the rain.
Monument 2. The Procession: This monument shows four personages: three are standing, totally dressed with mouth masks, headdresses and capes; the fourth is seated and totally naked, leaning his head and torso on a sculpture with animal features. The two central personages carry a coa in their hands and head towards the west, where the naked peronaje who is in a trance is located, while the third personage, standing, directs his steps towards the opposite side (east) with a bundle of reeds in his hands. The masks of the first and second personages are zoomorphic, corresponding to an eagle and a feline. The iconographic elements that accompany the attire of each personage have been identified as Olmec style.
Monument 6. Gourd Guide: It is a graphic representation of a gourd guide. Its leaves and the flower in some of the ramifications are appreciated, as well as the gourd in sprout. This monument is part of the group known as “Panel of the fertility” or “Panel of the fictitious animals” located in the east side of the Monument 1, associated to the petition of rain.
Monument 31. Crouching Feline: It is located in the path of the felines. It contains the representation of a feline subduing a human. It has been interpreted as a scene of copulation and fertilization of the land, due to the graphic elements that are appreciated. The feline presents a mouth mask with a bird's beak and the flaming eyebrow, characteristic of the Olmec style; while the human character is presented under the feline's paws, face down and totally naked.
Monument 45. Feline: This is the last discovery made during the month of May 2016. It consists of a scene of a feline on a human character. In this particular case the human lies dead, it is interpreted this way due to the way his arms are hanging. On the other hand, the feline is lying with its claws on the head of the human, presents a mouth mask with a bird's beak and a headdress on the forehead that seems to represent a plant.
