The Sun Youth of the Casas Grandes Culture, Chihuahua, Mexico (AD 1200–1450)

A recent archaeological study of the UNESCO-listed Archaeological Zone of Paquimé, Casas Grandes, has uncovered the earliest known depiction of a solar deity among Pueblo cultures, dubbed the 'Sun Youth.' This anthropomorphic figure with a scarlet macaw head or headdress represents a Mesoamerican deity, offering new insights into the religious and cultural syncretism of the Casas Grandes culture (AD 1200–1450). The research compares Medio-period Chihuahuan polychromes with Puebloan and Mesoamerican ethnographic and archaeological data to revise current understandings of the region's social, political, and religious organization. The discovery challenges existing models by highlighting the complex interplay between Mesoamerican and Puebloan traditions in this pivotal archaeological site.

Mathiowetz, M. D. (2018). The Sun Youth of the Casas Grandes Culture, Chihuahua, Mexico (AD 1200–1450). Kiva, 84(3), 367–390. https://doi.org/10.1080/00231940.2018.1463685