Tamuín

Tamuín is a very small town in the Huasteca region of eastern San Luis Potosi (state). It was once an important area for the Huastec culture and is home to two archaeological zones run by INAH (and some other known archaeological sites that are not open to the public).

Understand

The Tampaón River runs through Tamuín. It joins the Moctezuma River to form the Pánuco River.

Get in

Servicio Expreso Metropolitano runs hourly buses from Ciudad Valles to Tamuin. The 45-minute trip costs M$80.

A taxi from Ciudad Valles may be a better option because it is faster and can take you directly to the archaeological sites. Consider hiring a driver for several hours so you can visit both sites in one trip.

• 1 Transportes Vencedor (Bus station), Mercado Municipal, Av Gral Pedro Antonio de los Santos, ☏ +52 489 388 0722. Small waiting room with abrupt inattentive service. Avoid arriving late at night if you will need a taxi. (updated Jun 2023)

Get around

The archaeological sites are not close to town and not close to each other. You'll want to use a taxi to get around.

See

Temple at Tamohi

The two main archaeological sites in Tamuin are Tamohi and Tamtoc. A third site, called Tzintzin-Lujub, is frequently mentioned in relation to the Huastec history of Tamuin, however, the site is located on a privately owned ranch and is not open to the general public.

• 1 Zona Arqueológica Tamohi (El Consuelo), State highway 170. 09:00 - 17:00. Small, lightly visited site. Built between the 8th and 16th centuries. At least three surveys and excavations were conducted here during the 20th century and the most significant relics were taken to the Museo Nacional de Antropologia in Mexico City. The site is well maintained with several temples and other structures in excellent condition. Free. 

Monument 32 at Tamtoc

Venus of Tamtoc

• 2 Zona Arqueológica Tamtoc. Throughout Mexico, the archaeology tells a tale of male-dominated societies. Tamtoc dramatically turns that on its head. This was a female-dominated site that celebrates the female importance to life itself. It was a place that worshipped a female god and was dominated by female priestesses. A gravesite was found to contain 90% female skeletons. The site centers on a ceremonial plaza bordered by 23 buildings, with five platforms for conducting rituals occupying the center. These are surrounded by 13 round habitations and two rectangular, terraced large buildings which were probably for community use. The town was probably started around 600 BC with a peak between 200 - 1300 AD at which time the population is estimated to be about 4,000 people. One of the most significant finds was a statue of a woman that is popularly called "Venus of Tamtoc" but that archaeologists call "The scarified woman" because of the evident tattoos on her thighs. It was initially thought that she represented a fertility goddess, but anthropologists now believe that her tattoos tie into the Meso-american calendar. Active excavations and restoration work is ongoing. 

Eat

• 1 Curros, Independencia 306, ☏ +52 489 388 0830. 09:00 - 20:30. Comfortable, clean restaurant with innovative regional dishes specializing in seafood. Try the alligator (catan), something you won't find everywhere else. (updated Jun 2023)
• 2 Tacos Bocho, Leandro Valle 208 (on the main drag (MEX 70)). 19:00 - 01:00 (closed M). The place for late-night cheap munchies. Tacos, tortas, and taquitos. M$100. (updated Jun 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Tamuin, Calle Leandro Valle 200, Centro, ☏ +52 489 388 0515. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Clean, modest hotel with A/C, TV, internet and secure parking. M$1000. (updated Jun 2023)

Go next

• Ciudad Valles
• Xilitla
• Tampico