Painted Teotihuacan glyphs of Cave 19, Chalcatzingo, Morelos, Mexico

Abstract

The Mexican archaeological site of Chalcatzingo is best known as a Formative centre, famed for its extensive Olmec-style iconography ( c . 900–500 BC). Yet, recent investigations at Cave 19 on the western face of Cerro Delgado provide evidence of continued ritual use into the fourth–sixth centuries AD. Here, the authors examine three painted glyphic compounds, identifiable as part of the Teotihuacan writing system, associated with a fire-blackened shelf arguably used for pyrolytic rites. Interpreted as indicators of place and warrior veneration, the authors argue that the glyphs attest to the enduring significance of the local sacred landscape.