On the ground, in the open air at the top of Cerro Encantado, located in the municipality of Tlaxiaco, human remains and pottery are found, part of the looting of the archaeological site, without intervention by the authorities. “At this point, perhaps they’ve already taken everything that was there, because no one takes care of it and the authorities aren’t interested in preserving the area,” residents complain.
The complaints focused on the excavations and looting of archaeological artifacts in this space, considered sacred by the first inhabitants. Besides being historical, it is also due to the Battle of Cerro Encantado, which took place on April 29, 1814, in the city of Tlaxiaco, according to historians.
Residents claimed that this is not the first time this space has been looted, as there is no surveillance despite it being an archaeological site recognized in 1976 by the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH). However, at first glance, it can be seen that it remains abandoned.
The Enchanted Hill is located north of Tlaxiaco. Pre-Hispanic remains are preserved in its upper reaches. It has three esplanades and several mounds. “The authorities are also not interested in preserving the area, even though it has great historical and settlement value,” they add.
In this context, this media outlet contacted municipal president Jorge Octavio Hernández Martínez to learn in detail about the protection of this area, any rules or regulations that would allow for monitoring, promote its declaration, and a series of actions to help preserve these sites. However, despite our insistence, we received no response.
Construction on the Enchanted Hill is progressing
Just at the end of March of this year, the Directorate of Urban Development, in coordination with representatives of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), suspended construction work at the foot of the Enchanted Hill.
“They violated the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic, and Historical Monuments and Zones and its regulations,” the Tlaxiaco City Council’s official social media channels stated.
“With this suspension, we respond to the need to guarantee the conservation of Tlaxiaco’s cultural heritage, ensuring that any intervention in buildings or sites of historical value is carried out in accordance with current regulations.”
And although the intention of the suspension is to preserve this space for its identity, archaeological, and historical value, the space is abandoned and subdivided into lots.
“The preservation of these spaces, in addition to protecting the identity of our city, also promotes urban development in harmony with its historical richness,” the municipality stated in a statement on its official social media channels.
However, the authorities have not reported who provided the permits to subdivide this archaeological reserve area.
This isn’t the first time construction work has been suspended in this area. In July 2017, the City Council’s Infrastructure and Urban Development Department had to halt construction due to a notice issued by the INAH (National Institute of Agricultural Sciences), which already had two hectares subdivided into lots.
Source: oaxaca.eluniversal
