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Tarascan State

Type Event Region Mesoamerica Time 1451–1460

In the 1450s, the Purépecha (called Tarascans by the Spanish) of Michoacán, Mexico, maintained an independent and powerful centralized state, whose c…

Timeline

  1. 1451–1460Michoacán–Valley of Mexico border · MexicoAztec armies repeatedly advanced westward but met stubborn Tarascan resistance; legend holds that the Aztecs suffered heavy losses in border battles. Armed with copper axes, copper spears, and disciplined phalanx tactics, the Tarascans held their independence, and the two states formed a long-stalemated frontier zone.
  2. 1451–1460Tzintzuntzan archaeological site · MichoacánThe capital Tzintzuntzan lay on the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro; the rulers' tombs were arranged as distinctive conical yácata stone platforms along one side of a plaza. Palaces, ballcourts, and ritual precincts reflected highly centralized kingship, while lake fisheries and tribute distribution made the capital the political and economic core of Michoacán.
  3. 1451–1460Michoacán lake region · MichoacánTarascan artisans mastered copper-arsenic alloy smelting, producing axes, bracelets, needles, bells, and other objects unique in Mesoamerica. Metal tools boosted agricultural and military efficiency and also flowed to neighboring regions through trade, becoming an important symbol of state power.

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