Petrograbados de Palma Sola, Acapulco

The petroglyphs at Palma Sola, on a dry hillside above Acapulco, were carved by peoples who inhabited the bay area before Spanish contact, with estimates for the carvings ranging from roughly 2500 BCE into the Late Postclassic period, though precise dating remains uncertain due to limited excavation. More than 15 boulders along the site bear incised figures, including anthropomorphic forms, animals such as jaguars and serpents, spirals, and geometric and solar motifs, interpreted by researchers as possible ritual, calendrical, or territorial markers rather than narrative art. The rock art is presented in situ rather than removed to a museum, preserved on the natural granite outcrops where it was carved, and a marked walking trail connects the main groups of boulders across the hillside, with small interpretive signs identifying notable panels. Because the site is open-air rather than an enclosed exhibit, the curatorial approach is topographic: visitors follow the trail roughly in the order the carvings were mapped by INAH researchers, moving from the most accessible boulders near the entrance to more dispersed groups further up the slope. Conservation has focused on limiting foot traffic near the most vulnerable carvings and installing shade structures over some panels to slow weathering from sun exposure, though the exposed rock faces remain subject to natural erosion. The site receives relatively few visitors compared to Acapulco's beach attractions, leaving the trail quiet and the setting largely undeveloped.