The Cross above The Point is visible from much of Playa Zicatela. Its a little difficult to get there but once you get there, you can see some majestic views of the Playa Zicatela, the bay and Puerto Escondido. Its a great place to take some scenic photos.
There are two small pyramids located at The Cross.[1] The taller one is built on top of an outcrop of lime stone. Both have had stones added onto them in modern times.
It is unknown who or when the pyramid were constructed but it is know from 1793 through the early Mexican Independence period, there were Afro-Mexicans or Afro-Mestizos assigned to The Point to watch for pirates sailing along the coast.[2] Their descendants lived nearby until 1873 when men from the community of Santa María Colotepec burned their crops and huts.[3]
Both The Cross and a replica of Michelangelo's The Pietà were built on the two small pyramid like structures in 1986.[4]
You can drive there easily. The Cross is just outside of Puerto Escondido, the exit is off Highway 200 just before the Pemex gas station near La Barra. Turn right on the dirt road before you get to the Pemex station; perhaps a 100 meters off of the highway there are some apartments, pass these and where the road divides, head to the left.
You can take a taxi there for around 70 pesos.(5/17) You also get there by collectivo for less than 10 pesos (5/17) that will drop you off on the highway and you can walk to The Cross from there. If you walk slowly, its about a twenty minute walk.
I can't prove this but I am inclined to think these pyramids were built before the arrival of the Spaniards. I know that there was a community of people living in the area prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. I know canoes went up and down the coast for trading and I assume raiding. I know that the Eco-Archeological Park Copalita outside of Huatulco has a "Pre-Hispanic Lighthouse".[5] I think the tallest/largest pyramid at The Point is much too large just to have been a lookout spot and I can only assume it had a secondary purpose.
Photos taken by Marc Wilkinson. I, the copyright holder, hereby publish these photos under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported.