Even among archaeologists who work in the region, the definition of precisely what constitutes West Mexico remains unclear. Nevertheless, a combination of historical, geographical, and cultural features, none of which is entirely adequate on its own, can help us fix our focus on the indigenous cultures that developed in the area that today comprises the modern Mexican states of Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit, Michoacán, and Sinaloa, along with portions of Guanajuato, Zacatecas, and Durango. This region …