Puebla's Casa del Mendrugo museum houses 3,500-year-old remains and an unusual collection

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La Casa del Mendrugo occupies an old colonial mansion in Puebla. Its name, Mendrugo, refers to the crumbs or charity that the Jesuits received from the parishioners in order to support their ministry. In 2010, an excavation in the building's courtyard uncovered a burial site from more than 2,000 years ago. The skeletal remains of at least three people were found, including a woman who was approximately 60 years old and buried with an offering from around 3,500 years ago. That skeleton, which archaeologists dubbed "Chuchita," lived in the area long before the city of Puebla was founded in the 16th century. The discovery gave rise to a small museum on the first floor of the building where these remains are on display, along with an unusual collection.

When the space was opened, a local resident, Mr. Jorge Roberto Ortiz-Dietz, shortly before his death, offered a collection that he had been keeping as a gift to be exhibited. Until then, few knew his story, which, when it came to light, was impressive.

Hidden in the mountains of Oaxaca there was a town called Alteca, which maintained ancient customs until well into the 20th century. Its government was made up of a small group of men known as amos who dispensed justice and presided over the rituals of the community.

The amos were chosen as children by the oldest amos on their deathbeds. Children had their skulls deformed to distinguish them from ordinary people. When the amos died, their skulls were taken and scenes of life were carved with obsidian. The skulls were guarded by the community for ritual use. Ortiz-Dietz was revealed to have been the last amo around 1985 and kept the skulls of his predecessors with him before moving to Puebla, where he became a notary. Before he died in 2012, Ortiz-Dietz gave the collection to the museum where all the carved skulls and bones are displayed along with profuse explanations of their meaning.

Another display that you can enjoy is a collection of beautiful ancestral Talavera pottery. This pottery and its manufacturing process have now been included on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Even centuries after the development of this pottery process, local artisans are still producing this traditional craft, and it has become a defining characteristic of Puebla. The museum building also includes a restaurant, a gift shop, and a coffee shop. In the restaurant, you can sample traditional Poblano food such as mole poblano, pipián, and chalupas.