[1] The site is within the "Sierra de Chalchihuites" – from the Nahuatl word chalchíhuitl, the name means "precious stone" – where the Chalchihuites-Chichimec culture was established.

This culture spread on the corridor of the eastern flanks of the Sierra Madre Occidental, from west of the State of Zacatecas to Durango, between 100 and 1250 CE, approximately.

In Alta Vista he explored the zone now known as the Columns Hall and the annexed stairway; he also made preliminary investigations of the "caverns" in the region, which he considered defensive refuges.

The knowledge of the Chalchihuites site and culture that today is available, is due to the 30 years of studies made by Kelley and associates in the region of the Zacatecas and Durango States.

[1][5] Alta Vista is located almost on the Tropic of Cancer and is oriented such that the corners of the main structures coincide with the cardinal points axes; this is not very common in Mesoamerica.

[1] Per Kelley investigation, during its apogee, Altavista played a role similar to other Classic period Mesoamerican ceremonial centers, but on a key Chichimec area.

This meant that economic activities and local trade existed, exchange of resources with foreign groups at the regional level, from mining exploitation and a political control, which for Chalchihuites included construction and maintenance of religious and civic structures from 450 to 850 CE approximately.

[1][5] Ceremonial centers such as Alta Vista, with its sophisticated characteristics related to the complex Mesoamerican ritual ideology, are important to understand the nature of the ties that Teotihuacán managed to establish in different parts of Mesoamerica.

[1] The archaeological site was built according to the precise location and orientation of two hills, one is Chapín, seven kilometers southeast, where the two circle-cross petroglyphs were found (similar to those in Teotihuacán).

[1] The perfect orientation of the civic or main plaza towards the four cardinal points evidences the enormous knowledge possessed by these ancient people of the Astral and magnetic poles.

It is worth mentioning, in the east plaza, has more hierarchical spaces, and it leads to believe that these were reserved for regional representatives of native groups, when events took place.

[1] It is believed that the original building had an open patio in the center and that in time the structure was modified by adding columns to support a complete roofing system.

[1] A multiple burial was found near the northern lower corner of the structure, including four ceramic vessels as offerings, apparently associated with the four cardinal points.

Two 40 centimeters diameter floor holes were found that are believed to have served as the foundation for two wood posts which held a roof bracket for ceiling support.