Mexico City - Copilco
The Insurgentes Sur continues south from Villa Obregón to the district of Copilco, lying on the fringes of El Pedregal, a vast sheet of lava 68 m (20-25 ft) thick covering an area of some 40sq.km/15sq.mi. The lava was deposited mainly around 30 bc and ad 300 following eruptions of the Xitle volcano (3120 m (10,237 ft)). On this site University City and the residential quarter of Pedregal de San Àngel to the west were built, using the local lava in the construction of many of the buildings. Excavation has revealed evidence of a culture which was brought to an abrupt end by the eruption of the volcano.
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Copilco Excavation Site
Taking Avenida Copilco, which leads east off Insurgentes Sur, and turning left into Calle Victoria, the visitor will see the offices of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (No. 110), which administers the excavation site. Here, under a 3 m (10 ft) thick layer of lava, were found a number of graves containing skeletons, stone implements, pottery and figurines, some of them dating from the Archaic period (before 1500 bc).
