Autumn in the northern hemisphere invites us to introspection. It is a time of the year in which the sun’s rays are not so direct and the climate in the desert becomes friendlier; The harvest time begins and the days are shortened to offer a unique scenario and explored by few, especially those who enjoy nature and its beautiful contrasts.
On the eve of this season, especially in a year in which summer has brought us abundant rains, the archaeological region of the Paquimé culture located northwest of Chihuahua, offers a fabulous color palette that range from the yellows to the intense reds, next to the streams tribute to the Rio Casas Grandes.
It is recommended a tour of the areas where the former residents of Chihuahua, used cavities to build their homes, “cave dwelings”. The different types of trees, in preparation to lose their foliage, color the landscape of an area that concentrates the greatest archaeological heritage in northern Mexico and that in less than a month, the magic of autumn will display all its splendor and wrap the scenario in landscapes of fable.
Paquimé, an archaeological site protected by UNESCO recognized as World Heritage; It is in the heart of the magical town of Casas Grandes. It is part of the archaeological route where the pot of the pot is also located, which, according to information published by the INAH, is the oldest archaeological site in Mesoamerica, located precisely around the Valley of Las Cuevas, where the autumn landscape with wonderful colors is painted.
Casas Grandes and Paquimé are reached by road from Ciudad Juárez, the best border in Mexico. A trip of approximately 2 and a half hours, and from Chihuahua capital, is traveling through the Llanos and the area of livestock ranches, to the north for Eye Laguna to take the deviation to large-pave-paving houses.
Upon arriving at the site, it is advisable to go first the Museum of Cultures of the North so that, through the excellent museography, you have the context of what is going to be appreciated when traveling the area. In the museum there are both the model that recreates the city in its era of greatest splendor, as well as ceramic samples, activity in which they were great teachers. They greatly appreciated the colorful feathers of macaws, which they had managed to reproduce, in rooms where they recreated the warm and humid climate of the tropics.
In 1565 the Governor and Captain General of the New Biscay Don Francisco de Ibarra, when reviewing the old city that was found during his colonizing tour, said that Paquimé, for his stroke, seemed to have been urbanized by Romans.
Only half an hour of large houses is Mata Ortiz, a town of potters, unique in northern Mexico. Here the tradition was restarted 65 years ago Juan Quezada Celada Qepd, a young man who caught the pottery that had been manufactured in the ancient city of Paquimé.
For almost two centuries there was no one to try to resume the trade, Quezada was so generous that he shared his discoveries with everyone who wanted to learn, to such a degree that 300 families of the town currently live from creating unique pieces, decorated with exquisite designs with a high -end market niche for international markets. The creativity of third generation artists is already achieving awards and first places in national pottery competitions.
Following in the search for autumn landscapes, the road will take us to the area of the Valley of Las Cuevas, the main reason for this autumn trip, although we also recommend knowing Colonia Juárez and Colonia Dublán, villages founded by Mormons who emigrated to this corner of Mexico, for offering Mexico total freedom of worship to all its inhabitants. In the Mormons fields, autumn also dresses the fields and orchards.
Following the transition zone to the Sierra Madre, heading to Willis, we will find the Valle de las Cuevas, an area of caves with houses in cliffs (cave dwelings) that they house millenary earth constructions, guarded by the National Institute of Anthropology and History. We highlight especially one of the caves that not only contains residues of homes, but also a gigantic pot in the form of a pot, whereby the site is called Olla cave.
In autumn, in these large valleys, irrigated by the tributaries of the Rio Piedras Verdes, Los Arces, Alamos and Robles, give the color note. Its leaves will begin to change the green for red, yellow and magentas. The view is simply spectacular, the landscape changes very quickly, so you have to be attentive as soon as this miracle of nature begins.
Casas Grandes, Paquimé, Mata Ortiz, and the cave of the pot, are an unmissable visit in Chihuahua, the Mexico you do not know.
Paqury
The ancient city of Paquimé served as the most important barter center between the tribes of the original peoples inhabitants of the north of the continent, today the United States of America and Mesoamerica.
The early stages of Paquimé datan from the year 600 of our era, with semi-subject housing, while, in its flowering, (1250-1450), it came to have buildings of up to 7 floors, a system of running water inside the houses and an amazing urbanization.
The cliff houses
Located by just over 70 kilometers of large houses that are covered in just over an hour, at the foot of the Sierra Madre, there is this area with countless rocky coats, the natives built their homes within the cavities, which served as protection.
To get an idea of the age of human presence in this corner of the continent, the National Institute of Anthropology and History, found evidence of human occupation in the Cave of the Pot for 5,500 years, which makes it the oldest site in Mesoamerica.
Mata Ortiz, town of potters
Only half an hour of large houses we will find a small town of potters, for centuries it ceased to elaborate in this part of Mexico alfarería, until Juan Quezada Celado, in his constant traveled by the hills he was remains of decorated pots and was born the inspiration of the ancients to work the mud. He began to the trial and error to be elaborated without any tool, very ugly pots (according to himself), and what at first was a hobby, in less than half a century became art, gave him prestige nationally and internationally, he even obtained the National Prize of Sciences and Arts and left an indelible mark on his town he located on the artistic map of the fine pottery.
His trip to Mata Ortiz will be amazed by witnessing the level of exquisiteness that the students of Don Juan (1940-2022) have achieved in the manufacture of pieces of extraordinary beauty, reinterpreting the designs and the noble profession of the potter.
Each piece is unique, there is no serial production, unlike the ceramics that occurs in southern Mexico, it is fully prepared by hand, the mud comes from nearby hills, the paint is of plant or mineral origin and children’s hair are used to make the brushes with which the fine design lines draw. The ceramics that was manufactured in Paquimé for centuries had utilitarian purposes while the pieces made in Mata Ortiz have only decorative purposes.
Traveling for these old villages in autumn will allow you to discover the peace and pride of the premises to carry on their shoulders, the challenge of continuing to honor the memory of the former settlers with their art.
In very recent times the sowing of vine began and it is already paying off, the vineyards organize their harvests and offer lodging, experiences of dinner-market and tastings prior reservation. Visitors are highly valued, the Magic People offers lodging services with personalized attention in small boutique hotels such as the Las Guacamayas Hotel, La Casa de los Vientos, La Posada de Amparo, the Pueblo del Soul Hotel, and the Nopal House; For experiences in wines in vineyards is the victory, the turbine and the Elica house.
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