Puebla
Tlaxcala's Valley
The Mesoamerican Research Foundation (aka) The Fundación de Investigaciones Mesoamericanas is an Arizona corporation registered to work in the USA and Mexico. It was established for scientific and educational purposes.
Since 1993, the MRF has awarded grants for scientific investigations in Mexico. Some projects are:
1.-The Tetimpa
Project - archeological excavations on the eastern flank of Popocatepetl, an active
snow-caped volcano.
(Responsable: University of the Americas - Cholula,
Mexico - Department of Anthropology. Penn State University, University of Texas, and the
University of Sheffield, England also participate in this study ).
2.- Geological
study (culminating in a thesis) on the eastern flank of Popocatepetl.
(Penn State University, Department of Geology).
3.- The
Acatzingo-Tepeaca Project - An extensive archaeological survey with excavated
test-pits.
(Responsable: Penn State University, Department
of Anthropology. Instituto de Geofisica of U.N.A.M. also participates in this
study).
4.-
Archaeological and ethno-historical study (culminating in a thesis) of caves in the
Tepeaca-Acatzingo region.
(Escuela Nacional de Antropologia e Historia,
INAH).
5.- Teotihuacan
- Geophysical work for detection of subterranean voids.
(Universidad Nacional A. de Mexico, Instituto
de Investigaciones Antropologicas).
6.- Compilation of two hundred Nahuatl verbs - from the Puebla valley with their set of conjugations. (Graduate study).
7.-
Bibliography of publications & reports about caves for ritual use in Mesoamerica,
giving emphasis to Central Mexico.
(Universidad Nacional A. de Mexico,
Instituto de Investigaciones Antropologicas).
8.- Positional (archaeo) astronomy, the Map of Cuauhtinchan No. II, and location of ceremonial caves.
Cartographic analysis of the Map of Cuauhtinchan No. II with reference to form, layout, and composition. Field work has been done to investigate basic elements of map composition, such as distance (not scale), direction, elevation, legend, decipherment of preHispanic signs & symbols as graphical communication, etc.
Begining with 1998, the MRF will focus on Mesoamerican caves for ritual use, giving emphasis to "Mexico Central" as illustrated on the Map of Cuauhtinchan No. II (also called MC2). MC2 has been studied by scholars as: a work of Mexican colonial art, a document relating to sixteenth century land rights, a painting of the legendary pilgrimage by Tolteca-Chichimeca tribes from the Chicomoztoc caves, and a cartographic document.
The present objective is to study MC2 as historical cartography, giving attention to its geography, topography, hydrology, anthropology, positional astronomy, geology, minerals, and two types of caves.
Natural Cave- A typical cavity in the earth with an ordinary mouth.
Modified Cave- A subterranean void that may be a natural geologic feature yet which embodies structural changes with an artificial entrance. A place that has been altered to include architecture, furniture, sculpture, burials, and so forth.
As an academic workshop & interactive workbook, your comments are welcome. Ask questions. Suggest alternative methods for this study. The Foundation will award grants in archival research and scientific field exploration in Mexico. The contents of this site is copyright of those mentioned as authors and/or sources. The information provided herein is for scholarly information and not for profit.
Please review an outline of MC2 Quest- Sacred Caves as explained in summary of what you'll find.