Purépecha Empire
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The Purépecha Empire, also known as the Kingdom of Tzintzuntzan, was a polity in pre-Columbian Mexico. Its territory roughly covered the geographic area of the present-day Mexican state of Michoacán,
A Purépecha incense burner showing a deity with a "Tlaloc headdress", 1350–1521 CE.
Islands in Lake Pátzcuaro, viewed from the top of Janitzio island.
The archaeological site of Tzintzuntzan, capital of the Iréchikwa
Fourth yacata pyramid on the south end of the line in Tzintzuntzan.
Tzintzuntzan was the ceremonial center of the pre-Columbian Purépecha capital of the same name. The name comes from the Purépecha word Ts’intsuntsani, which means "place of hummingbirds." The site inc
Purépecha Empire
…or even queen, Kuhcha (plural kuhcháecha). The Spaniards knew the king as Cazonci, from Nahuatl caltzontzin. The Purépecha capital was located at Tzintzuntzan (Ts'intsúntsani, "place of hummingbirds") on the banks of Lake Pátzcuaro. According to the Relación de Michoacán, it was founded by the first king…
Purépecha copper and brass objects in the site museum
View of Lake Pátzcuaro from the site
Excavations by yácatas revealing older structures