Area B: Northeast

State of Queretaro

The Sierra Gorda is a beautiful mountain range cutting through the north of Queretaro state. It provides the perfect setting for this ruins site which is to be found atop one of the hills with a backdrop in the summer reminding one of rural England. The ruins themselves are modest but impressive enough to warrant the visit.

History

Culture: The Sierra Gorda Culture

The city of Ranas was constructed and occupied during the blossoming of the northern cultures, in the Early Classic period. This site and nearby Toluquilla became very important trading centres in the region. Evidence has also suggested that the culture had significant contact with the Gulf Coast region and also with Teotihuacan.

Ranas, along with the majority of northern sites, suffered from a terminal decline at the end of the Classic period. Blame is directed to the ethnic changes sweeping the region at that time; with the fall of Teotihuacan, the ensuing chaos meant that cities like Ranas never recovered.

For more about other Cities of the Sierra Gorda, see Cultural History.

Tour  (Scroll down to follow complete tour, or click on feature below and use your BACK key to return to the map)

The road from the entrance leads us to a dip in between the two hills upon which the city rests. Here we find Ball Court 3, the largest at the site, which was prominent from the entrance, and being 157 feet long. Only the north side of the court has been restored.

    Ball Court 3

At the east end of the ball court, a small path leads up and over to Ranas I. This is a dense complex of buildings clustered around a central ball court (number 2). At the near end of the ball court is a low pyramidal structure. The north side of the complex gives access to some good views over the valley.

Ranas I   

If we retrace our steps to Ball Court 3, we will see a larger building at its west end. This is Building 3, which is the largest seen so far. It is a stepped pyramid that has obviously been restored within recent times.

    Building 3

Behind Building 3, the hill rises and as we climb, we will pass a series of three structures staggered along the ascent. The first two, forming the rear of Building 3 are more or less joined together by steps and doorways. The higher of the two has a walled interior on top. The next building up is slightly larger and it too also has a room like enclosure. It is likely that these structures served as residences.

Staggered Buildings   

Next we come upon a larger group of buildings packed together nearer the top of the hill. This section is known as Ranas II.

    Ranas II: Panorama

We arrive at a feature known as the Sunken Patio, which is a small courtyard bordered by two buildings, an altar platform to the south and the walls of the Temple Plaza above. The stairs leading up from the patio are circular, an unusual design that is repeated several times at this site.

Sunken Patio   

Just to the south of the Sunken Patio is another smaller area flanked by two residential-style platforms and steep walls with a circular flight of steps to the north. This is part of Ranas III and has been thought to have served as the main city entrance. Security and fortification were key watchwords in the construction of the site.

    Ranas III   

At the summit of the hill we come to the Temple Plaza where we find two bulky platforms to the east and a low altar in front of the Main Temple itself that forms the upper limit of the site. Although of a similar style to Building 3, this is the largest feature at Ranas and because of this and its location we can surmise that the key ceremonial rituals were conducted here. Now we see the two clear phases of construction. In the last phase the low altar was curiously placed so as to block the main stairway to the temple.

    Main Temple

Lower down the hillside is Ranas IV, which is a very small and unrestored cluster that probably does not warrant the walk.

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