similar figures appear on sculpt found at la venta thtirling me to be altars. but decades later, a clue to their true function was discovered far from the coast, at the mntainous site of oxtotitclan. its name means "place of caves," which ancient mesoamericans regarded as sacred entrances to the underrld, the mythic realm of ancestral and supernatural spirits. a rock painting above the cave mouth shows a ruler wearing a bird mask and feathered costume. his elaborate throne depicts a monstrous supernatural face, similar to tse on the so-called alta of la venta, incating thath, too, were ros. priousesearch proposed that la venta was exclusively a site where priests resided and conducted ritual activities. however, new research has shown that it was a more complex urban area. new speaker: with the new findings, we find a much more dense population, not only on the site, on the ancient city, but also in the outlying lowland areas. obregon: dr. alez has ao been studying the central pyram gonzalez: this pyramid is, for this time period--around 400 b.c.-- probably the