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This finely lithographed archaeological plan of La Quemada (an ancient, fortified settlement near Villanueva in the present-day state of Zacatecas) was drawn by Carl Nebel and published in Paris in 1836 as part of his landmark work Voyage pittoresque et archéologique dans la partie la plus intéressante du Méxique. Based on Nebel’s on-site survey during his northern expedition of 1832, the plan offered European audiences one of the earliest systematic visual records of a major pre-Hispanic site in the arid north of Mexico.
Rendered in a precise overview, the map shows the architectural and topographical complexity of La Quemada’s hilltop setting. Delicate hachures articulate the surrounding terrain, while the rectilinear remains of platforms, plazas, stepped pyramids, and perimeter walls are lettered for reference and keyed to descriptions in the accompanying text (not present here). At left, the principal ceremonial center and its adjacent structures are laid out in measured alignment; at right, a fortified summit commands a dramatic natural promontory, encircled by defensive walls and stair-stepped terraces. A scale in varas runs along the lower margin, and orientation is indicated by a small north-pointing arrow at upper left.
Nebel’s depiction was unprecedented in its accuracy and ambition. While later archaeological investigations have revised the interpretation and dating of the site, his plan remains the earliest comprehensive visual documentation of La Quemada, and a foundational contribution to the study of Mesoamerican frontier cultures.
Carl Nebel (1805-1855) was a German artist and lithographer known for his detailed and vivid depictions of Mexico in the mid-19th century. After traveling to Mexico in the 1820s, Nebel captured the country's landscapes, architecture, and everyday life through a series of lithographic views that gained widespread acclaim. His most notable work, Voyage pittoresque et archéologique dans la partie la plus intéressante du Méxique (1836), featured 50 hand-colored lithographs that offered European audiences a rare visual insight into Mexican culture and scenery. Nebel's work was characterized by uncommon attention to detail and color, making his lithographs important visual documents that chronicled Mexico during a period of significant social and political change. His work was also featured in The War Between the United States and Mexico (1851), perhaps the most ambitious color plate book of the Mexican War, on which he collaborated with George Wilkins Kendall.
