These 15 signs, in Spanish and English (the English translation differs from the original Spanish at times), are transcribed below. Other than correcting an occasional spelling mistake the transcriptions are exact.

JUNTA VECINAL PRO-CONSERVACION DIFUSION DEL PATRIMONIO HISTORICO CULTURAL DE LAS VARAS NAYARIT A.C.

EJIDO DE ALTAVISTA

EL NAHUALISMO: PRACTICA RELIGIOSA PARA COMUNICARSE CON SUS DIOSES MEDIANTE ESTADOS ALTERADOS DE CONCIENCIA. LOS TECOXQUINES DE ESTE SITIO ACOSTUMBRABAN USAR DE UN EMBIJE PSICOTROPICO Y DE TABACO PARA EL LOGRO DE ESTADOS DE EXTASIS. EL NOMBRE DEL ESTADO NAYARIT SIGNIFICA PRECISAMENTE ESO “EL NAHUALLI”

MANY OF THE RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES WHICH OCCURRED AT THIS SITE WERE UNDOUBTEDLY BASED ON NAHUALISM. NAHUALISM, OR SHAMANISM, IS AN ANCIENT RELIGIOUS PRACTICE BY WHICH CERTAIN PERSONS COMMUNICATE WITH THEIR GODS AND SPIRITS THROUGH ALTERED STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS. THIS TRADITION HAS DEEP ROOTS IN THE REGION; THE NAME OF THE STATE OF NAYARIT DERIVES FROM THE WORD “NAHUALLI”. THE TECOXQUINES USED PSYCHOTROPIC PLANTS AND TOBACCO TO ATTAIN STATES OF ECSTASY THAT BROUGHT THEM INTO CONTACT WITH THEIR DEITIES.

EN 1524 FRANCISCO CORTES DE SAN BUENAVENTURA INCORPORO A ESTA ZONA A LA JURISDICCION DE SANTIAGO DE COLIMA. SEIS AÑOS MAS TARDE NUÑO DE GUZMAN ERIGIO EN NAYARIT EL REINO DE LA NUEVA GALICIA. LAS EPIDEMIAS Y LOS SERVICIOS FORZADOS ACABARON HASTA CASI LA EXTINCION A LOS TECOXQUINES. HOY TODAVIA EN LOS PUEBLOS MESTIZOS DE LA ZONA SE HABLA DE “INDIOS DE BLANCO” QUE DESCIENDEN DE LAS SIERRAS ALEDAÑAS A HONRAR AQUI A SUS ANTIGUOS DIOSES.

IN 1524 AN ARMY LED BY FRANCISCO CORTES DE BUENAVENTURA INCORPORATED THIS ZONE INTO THE JURISDICTION OF SANTIAGO OF COLIMA. SIX YEARS LATER, NUÑO DE GUZMAN FORMED THE KINGDOM OF NUEVA GALICIA, COVERING THE ENTIRE NORTHERN AND WESTERN REGIONS OF MEXICO. FOLLOWING THE SPANISH CONQUEST, DEATHS FROM EPIDEMICS AND FORCED LABOR COMPLETELY ANNIHILATED THE TECOXQUINES AS A PEOPLE. TODAY IN THE MESTIZO TOWNS OF THE AREA PEOPLE STILL SPEAK OF “WHITE INDIANS”, GHOSTS WHO APPEAR FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO HONOR THEIR ANCIENT GODS.

EN EL SIGLO XVII LOS ENCOMENDEROS EUROPEOS DECIDIERON REPOBLAR CON LOS AMERINDIOS DE LA NACION TECUALES ANTEPASADOS DE LOS ACTUALES HUICHOLES, TRAJERON TAMBIEN ESCLAVOS POR EL PUERTO DE CHACALA, PARA TRABAJAR SUS HACIENDAS COMO LA DE CHILA, LAS VARAS Y LA SALINERA DE IXTAPA REINTERPRETANDO ESTE SITIO CADA UNO A SU MANERA.

IN THE 17TH CENTURY, EUROPEAN LANDOWNERS CULTIVATING CACAO IN THE REGION NEEDED A NEW WORKFORCE. THE OLD TECOXQUIN VILLAGES, AS FAR AS THE SALT-PRODUCING TOWN OF IXTAPA, WERE POPULATED WITH TECUAL INDIANS WHO WERE ANCESTORS OF THE MODERN-DAY HUICHOL. A NEW WAVE OF EUROPEANS ARRIVED FROM THE TOWN OF COMPOSTELA AND FORMED HACIENDAS SUCH AS CHILA AND LAS VARAS. THEY ALSO BROUGHT IN AFRICAN SLAVES THROUGH THE NEARBY PORT OF CHACALA, WHICH HAD TRADE LINKS WITH NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA. EACH OF THESE NEW PEOPLES REINTERPRETED THE PETROGLYPHS OF ALTAVISTA IN A DISTINCT MANNER

LA PROPUESTA DE MOUNTJOY, ESPIRAL EL ESTADO DE NAYARIT OCUPA EL QUINTO LUGAR EN REGIMEN DE LLUVIA EN EL PAIS LAS CUALES SE CONCENTRAN DE MAYO A OCTUBRE, PERO SE CONTRAPONE UN DRAMATICO ESTIAJE POR EL RESTO DEL AÑO. LA ARQUELOGIA DE LA ZONA HA PROPUESTO QUE EL LABRADO DE LA GRAFICA PODIA CONSTITUIR UNA PLEGARIA DESTINADA A LOS DIOSES TECOXQUINES PARA PEDIR LA LLEGADA DE LAS LLUVIAS Y CON ELLO LA PRODIGIOSA FERTILIDAD DE LAS TIERRAS.

THE STATE OF NAYARIT IS CHARACTERIZED BY HIGH RAINFALL. THE FIFTH HIGHEST IN THE COUNTRY, THE RAINS ARE CONCENTRATED IN A PERIOD OF INTENSE STORMS BETWEEN MAY AND OCTOBER. IN DRAMATIC CONTRAST TO THE DRY SEASON THE REST OF THE YEAR, THE MOUNTAINS OF ALTAVISTA ATTRACT HEAVY RAINFALL LEAVING THE AREAS TO THE EAST MUCH DRIER (THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN HAS A SEMI-DESERT CLIMATE). PERHAPS FOR THIS ABUNDANCE OF WATER, ALTAVISTA WAS SEEN AS A SPECIAL PLACE, AND VENERATED FOR ITS FERTILITY.

SIENDO EL AGAU EL HOGAR DEL COCODRILO MONSTRUO DE LA TIERRA Y SIMBOLO DEL TIEMPO PRIMIGENIO ES POSIBLE QUE LAS ROCAS FUERAN VISTAS COMO LOS TRONCOS DEL ARBOL DEL TAMOANCHAN POR LOS CUALES TRANSITAN LOS DIOSES EN MOVIMIENTO HELICOIDAL Y LAS PLEGARIAS LABRADAS EN LAS ROCAS SUBIERAN HACIA EL TAMOANCHAN PARA QUE LOS DONES DESCENDIERAN AL MUNDO PARA FELICIDAD DE LOS TECOXQUINES.

THIS CONCEPT WAS A CENTRAL PART OF ANCIENT MESOAMERICAN COSMOLOGY. TAMOANCHAN IS THE COSMIC TREE WHICH CONNECTS ALL LIFE AND SUSTAINS THE WORLD. ITS ROOTS ARE UNDERGROUND IN THE REALM OF WATER AND FERTILITY. ITS TRUNK IS AMONG HUMANS ABOVE GROUND AND REACHES UPWARD. THE CROWN OF THE TREE IS IN THE HEAVENS, IN THE REALM OF THE GODS AND THE RAINS. TAMOANCHAN WAS REPRESENTED BY THE CEIBA TREE IN MANY PARTS OF MEXICO ALTHOUGH OTHER LARGE TREES SUCH AS THE PINE AND THE STRANGLER FIG COULD ALSO HAVE SERVED THE SAME PURPOSE.

LOS CORTADORES DE CABEZA LA PRACTICA DE LA GUERRA FLORIDA ES LA PRINCIPAL CARACTERISTICA RELIGIOSA QUE IDENTIFICA A LOS TECOXQUINES. ENCAMINADA A LA OBTENCION DE OFRENDAS GUERRERAS CONSISTENTES EN CABEZAS DEGOLLADAS. PRACTICA QUE EFECTUABAN NO SOLAMENTE EN NAYARIT, SINO EN TERRITORIOS TAN LEJANOS COMO LOS ACTUALES VALLES DE MASCOTA, TALPA, PLAN DE BARRANCAS.

THE “FLOWER WAR” WAS ONE OF THE PRINCIPAL RELIGIOUS PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TECOXQUINES. THE GOAL WAS NOT CONQUEST. RATHER THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO OBTAIN WARRIOR PRISONERS FOR RITUAL SACRIFICE, AND WHOSE SEVERED HEADS WERE LATER OFFERED TO THE GODS. THESE WARS USUALLY OCCURRED LOCALLY, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE ALSO HELD IN PLACES AS FAR AWAY AS THE VALLEYS OF TALPA, MASCOTA, AND THE MOCHITILTIC CANYON, IN JALISCO.

EL TLALOCAN CIPACTLI, COCODRILO MONSTRUO DE LA TIERRO Y SIMBOLO DEL TIEMPO PRIMIGENIO QUE MORA SOBRE LAS AGUAS MARINAS Y TERRESTRES Y SU CORTE DE CHANES DEL AGUA AL LADO DE LOS ESPIRITUS DE LOS TECOXQUINES FALLECIDOS POR AGUA, SON LOS MORADORES DEL TLALOCAN “EL PARAISO DEL AGUA”. A ELLOS SE LES OFRENDA CON RESINAS Y OLLITAS CON SANGRE PARA PEDIR SUS DONES A LA SALUD Y A LA FERTILIDAD.

IN ANCIENT MESOAMERICA, WATER WAS THOUGHT TO LIE UNDERNEATH THE EARTH, AND SO THE UNDERWORLD WAS CONSIDERED A PLACE OF FERTILITY. TLALOCAN WAS THE “WATER PARADISE” BENEATH THE EARTH. IT WAS INHABITED BY THE CHANES, OR WATER SPIRITS, AS WELL AS THE SPIRITS OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD DROWNED OR WHOSE DEATH WAS CONNECTED TO WATER. TLALOCAN WAS ALSO THE PLACE OF THE MYTHICAL CROCODILE CIPACTLI, AN “EARTH MONSTER” WHO SYMBOLIZED FERTILITY AND THE PRIMORDIAL TIMES.

EN EL AÑO DE 1612 SE DIERON REFERENCIAS SOBRE ESTE SITIO ARQUEOLOGICO, DESBRIBIENDO UNA ESCRITURA COMPLEJA CON MULTITUD DE CRUCES Y DE UN CRISTO DEVOTISSIMO A QUIEN LOS LUGAREÑOS TIENEN GRAN VENERACION. EL CRISTO POSIBLEMENTE SEA LA FIGURA DEL “HOMBRE MAIZ” A QUIEN LOS MESTIZOS DEL AREA SOLICITAN, MEDIANTE OFRENDAS, VELAS Y JICARAS CON SAL FERTILIDAD EN SUS CULTIVOS.

THE FIRST HISTORICAL REFERENCES TO THE ALTAVISTA ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE DATE FROM 1612. THEY DESCRIBE COMPLEX WRITING, A MULTITUDE OF CROSSES, AND ABOVE ALL A DEVOTED CHRIST WHOM THE LOCAL PEOPLE HOLD IN GREAT VENERATION. THIS IS POSSIBLY A REFERENCE TO THE SO-CALLED “MAIZE MAN”, A FIGURE SYMBOLIZING FERTILITY AND GROWTH. LOCAL FARMERS LEAVE OFFERINGS OF CANDLES AND GOURD BOWLS OF SALT TO THIS FIGURE IN ORDER TO OBTAIN FERTILITY FOR THEIR COFFEE AND TOBACCO CROPS OR IN HOPES OF OBTAINING WORK WHEN THEY TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES.

EN EL SIGLO XVII LOS SIMBOLOS GRABADOS EN LAS ROCAS FUERON ATRIBUIDOS AL APOSTOL MATEO A QUIEN LOS NAVOGALLEGOS DE ESTAS TIERRAS LO SUPONIAN EVANGELIZADOR REMOTO DE AMERINDIOS. EN EL SIGLO XX SE ATRIBUIA A ESTE SANTO UN HECHO PRODIGIOSO, QUE DE LA CRUZ DE ZACAT PARTIA UN REGUERO DE SANGRE A ESTE LUGAR EL DIA DE SAN MATEO APOSTOL.

BEGINNING IN THE 17TH CENTURY THE BELIEF AROSE AMONG THE SPANISH THAT THE APOSTLE MATTHEW TRAVELED TO THE NEW WORLD IN PREHISPANIC TIMES TO EVANGELIZE THE INDIANS. THIS WAS THOUGHT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ROCK CARVINGS OF ALTAVISTA, ESPECIALLY THE CROSSES. BY THE 20TH CENTURY THIS BELIEF HAD DEVELOPED TO THE POINT WHERE MATTHEW WAS CREDITED WITH CREATING THE CROSS OF GRASS, WHICH IS NOW A RELIGIOUS SANCTUARY IN TEPIC, AND IS THOUGHT TO POSSESS MIRACULOUS POWERS. ACCORDING TO LOCAL LEGEND A STREAM OF BLOOD BEGINNING AT THE CROSS OF GRASS FLOWED DOWN THE MOUNTAINS TO ALTAVISTA, CONNECTING THE TWO SACRED SITES.

EL HECHO DE QUE LOS TECOXQUINES RINDIESEN CULTO A LA FIGURA DE LA CRUZ. POSIBLEMENTE FORJO LA LEYENDA DE UN APOSTOL MATEO EN ESTA TIERRA. LA FIGURA DE LA CRUZ ERA UNA FORMA DE MAPA MENTAL EN LA CUAL, LOS TECOXQUINES REPRESENTABAN QUE LOS ARBOLES DE TAMOANCHAN Y TLALOCAN SON CINCO, UNO CENTRAL Y LOS OTROS COLOCADOS EN CUATRO PUNTOS CARDINALES. ELLOS SON CINCO Y UNO PORQUE EL ARBOL SAGRADO EN REALIDAD LO ERAN TODOS Y SIMBOLIZABAN EL TRIUNFO DE LA VIDA Y SOSTEN DEL CIELO.

THE FACT THAT THE CROSS WAS A SACRED SYMBOL AMONG THE TECOXQUINES WAS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING TO THE SPANISH AND LED TO THE LEGEND OF THE APOSTLE MATTHEW. BUT FOR THE TECOXQUINES, LIKE MOST OTHER ANCIENT MESOAMERICANS, THE CROSS WAS IN REALITY A MENTAL MAP OF THE COSMOS. IT SYMBOLIZED THE FIVE SACRED DIRECTIONS: THE FOUR CARDINAL POINTS AND THE CENTER. EACH DIRECTION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH CERTAIN GODS, COLORS, AND SACRED REALMS, AS WELL AS ONE OF THE FOUR TREES WHICH FORMED THE TAMOANCHAN. THE IDEA OF THE FOUR-CORNERED UNIVERSE IS STILL PRESENT AMONG MEXICAN INDIANS TODAY, AND IS SYMBOLIZED BY CROSSES, DIAMONDS AND OTHER SIMILAR SHAPES.

LA CREENCIA QUE A TRAVEZ DE LA SAVIA DEL ARBOL COSMICO ASCIENDEN Y DESCIENDEN LOS DIOSES PARA DARNOS FERTILIDAD COMO DON A NUESTRAS PLEGARIAS, Y QUE SU ROMPIMIENTO DEL TRONCO QUE UNIA LA COPA DEL TLALOCAN A LA HUMEDA RAIZ DEL TAMOANCHAN. HOGAR DE LOS DIOSES DE LA LLUVIA, PROVOCO LOS TRANCEDENTALES CAMBIOS QUE DIERON EFECTO A LA HISTORIA TECOXQUINA.

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE ROCKS OF ALTAVISTA WERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MYTHICAL TREES OF TAMOANCHAN WHICH CONNECTED THE UNDERWORLD, THE EARTH AND THE HEAVENS. THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE TRAVELED UP THROUGH THE SAP OF THE TREE TRUNKS TO THE REALM OF THE GODS. IN TURN, THE GIFTS OF THE GODS – RAIN, FERTILITY, GOOD HEALTH RETURNED TO THE EARTH THROUGH THE SAME TREES. FOR THE TECOXQUINES, THE ROCKS OF ALTAVISTA WOULD HAVE SERVED THE SAME PURPOSE, A MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THEIR GODS.

EL PAPEL PRIMORDIAL QUE EL AGUA CUMPLE PARA LA VIDA Y EL VERGEL SELVATICO DEL SITIO DE ALTAVISTA DEVIDO A LA LLUVIA GENEROSA DE ESTA SERRANIA, EN CONTRAPOSICION AL DECLIVE DE SAN PEDRO LAGUNILLAS AL RIO AMECA QUE ES SEMIDESERTICO. ESTE SITIO FUE VISTO COMO UN LUGAR DE VENERACION, DONDE HABIA QUE AGRADECER TANTA FERTILIDAD, Y RECORDAR LOS HOMBRES EL SAGRADO DESTINO DE CUIDAR LOS DONES DEL HABITAR TERRESTRE.

THE SPIRALS, WAVY LINES AND OTHER SYMBOLS CARVED IN THE ROCKS OF ALTAVISTA MOST LIKELY CONSTITUTE A RITUAL LANGUAGE OF PRAYERS TO THE TECOXQUIN GODS. AS AN AGRICULTURAL PEOPLE, THE TOCOXQUINES WOULD HAVE BEEN CONCERNED WITH OBTAINING RAIN, FERTILITY OF THE EARTH, AND THE CONTINUANCE OF THE SEASONAL RHYTHMS THEY DEPENDED UPON. ALTHOUGH THE EXACT MEANING OF THE SYMBOLS WILL NEVER BE KNOWN, THE SPIRALS HAVE BEEN INTERPRETED AS THE SUN, RAINSTORM, WIND, COILED SNAKES, OR AS A SYMBOL OF THE NATURAL RAINY AND DRY CYCLE.

LOS HUICHOLES QUE ACTUALAMENTE OFRENDAN EN ESTE SITIO PROCEDEN DE LAS ESTRIBACIONES DE LA SIERRA DEL NAYAR Y DEL MUNICIPIO DE LA YESCA, ALGUNOS SE HALLEN HABITANDO EN LAS INMEDIACIONES DE LAS VARAS. LAS OFRENDAS AQUI COLOCADAS TIENEN PRINCIPAL DESTINATARIO A NAKAHUE “NUESTRA ABUELA DIOSA DE LAS AGUAS” Y TATEVARI “NUESTRO ABUELO FUEGO” ALGUNOS ASISTEN TAMBIEN AL PUERTO DE CHACALA Y SU SITIO GRAFICO RUPESTRE A OFRENDAR A TATEI ARAMARATSIE “NUESTRA MADRE LA MAR”.

THE HUICHOL INDIANS WHO OCCASIONALLY VISIT ALTAVISTA ORIGINALLY LIVED IN THE SIERRA OF NAYAR MOUNTAINS ALTHOUGH IN RECENT YEARS A SMALL GROUP HAS MOVED TO THE LAS VARAS AREA. THEY LEAVE OFFERINGS AND PERFORM CEREMONIES HERE FOR NAKAHUE, “OUR GRANDMOTHER OF FERTILITY”, AND ALSO FOR TATEVARI, “OUR GRANDFATHER OF FIRE”. SOME HUICHOLS ALSO TRAVEL TO THE NEARBY PORT OF CHACALA WHERE ANCIENT ROCK CARVINGS ARE LOCATED, AND LEAVE OFFERINGS TO TATEI ARAMARA, “OUR MOTHER OCEAN”.