Exploring Cantona: House of the Sun

One of the highlights of the trip will be a photography class at Cantona, the largest urban site in pre-hispanic Mexico. To learn more about Cantona, I interviewed Arisbet Solis, a dear friend and local history enthusiast who is very familiar with the site.

Q: Can you introduce Cantona to us?

Aris: Cantona (House of the Sun) is an archeological zone in the state of Puebla, in the eastern region of Mexico. It was one of the cities with the greatest degree of urbanization in the pre-hispanic period and the oldest fortified city in Mexico.

It is said that it was discovered in the mid-XIX century by Henri de Saussure, but in reality, the people from the local communities of Guadalupe Sarabia, Tepeyahualco and Payuca already knew about it more than 300 years ago, specially the latter, an ancestral town considered to be Puebla's equivalent of Catemaco, Veracruz due to its ancient knowledge of herbalism and shamanic practices. Therefore Cantona was not really discovered by anybody, much less by said Henri, since the populatinos of the region already knew about its existence.

Q: What percentage of Cantona has been discovered?

Aris: It [Cantona] has a land surface area greater than 12km, of which 0.8% has been discovered since [the majority of the] ruins remain buried in this imense metropolis.

Q: What fascinates you about this place?

Aris: Cantona is considered to be the most urbanized city in pre-hispanic Mexico and was edified on top of a volcanic deposit. No type of cement was used [in its construction], similar to Machupichu in Peru. It is also close the Valle de los Libres, the Valley of the Free, where we can find the diverse number of species of falcons and eagles.

It had a great system of communication, with roads up to 1 km in length, which permitted a strong control over it's inhabitants and also featured walled streets that could easily be closed down in case of invasion. It's systems of water collection and drainage were perfectly planned and follow the street routes. Developed during an age of strong social conflict, Cantona became a fortress with the passage of time.

Q: Ball games played an important role in pre-hispanic cultures, what can you tell me about the ball fields in Cantona?

Aris: The great number of ball fields identified in this city (24 so far) are placed in such a way that as as the Sun traversed the sky it would not create shadows that would obstruct the sacred game, it's a clear demonstration of the importance that was placed on religious ceremonies.

Back then, it was very important to be considered a sacrifice, which would bring honor to the family and the sacrificed individual. The [type] of sacrifices, included frequent decapitations and mutilations, and were related to fertilizing the earth.

A great number of phalic sculptures have also been found in the ball fields, courtyards and other places in Cantona, including nine phaluses and two votive hatchets placed on top of human remains and other offerings at the foot of the largest pyramid of the site, in the courtyard called the Plaza de Fertilicación de la Tierra, the Fertility Courtyard of the Earth.

Q: What civilization lived in Cantona and what happened to it?

Aris: The strongest hypothesis tells us that it was the Olmec-Xicalanca tribes that lived there, but it is really unknown. The cranial deformations are similar to that of the Mayas, however the aparition of glazed pottery in diverse colors are a mystery.

No one knows precisely, although it is believed that it dissapeared due to lack of water; it's only certain that it was abandoned.

Q: Hernán Cortés travelled through this region, what did he have to say about it?

Aris: According to Bernal Díaz de Castillo, Hernán Cortés wrote to King Charles V of Spain saying: "Pasamos por un mal pais, donde solo las espinas y alimañas prosperan". "We passed through a bad land where only thornes and vermin prosper." [Badlands usually describe a volcanic field unsuitable for agriculture].

Q: Anything else you'd like to share with us?

Aris: My Dad once read to me a lovely document written to inspire people would be taught to learn who they are, their roots, where their ancestors come from and to love their country, I thought it was written by Emiliano Zapata due to its simliarity to the Plan de Ayala, and it turned out to be written by Adolf Hitler. The phrases in this document are so beautiful and moving.

"Nadie ama lo que no conoce." (Nobody loves what they don't know.) is the phrase that has stuck with me.

Even though I wasn't born in Libres, not even close, knowing the Valley of the Free makes me love it. My parents arrived to work, we don't have any relatives here, and yet we love Libres. "It's time to get to know our world and take care of it; having greater knowledge can make us better people and have greater discernment." -- Arisbet Solis

Arisbet Solis is a dermopigmentation artist, mesotherapy practioner and graphic designer based in Puebla, Mexico. She enjoys traveling and getting to know her country better.