Quetzalla

Quetzalla, later known as Cosalá, lies among the foothills of the Sierra Madre Occidental east of the Sinaloa coast. Rivers and mountain valleys were home to Indigenous peoples including the Acaxee and Xixime. Rock paintings and carved designs survive in the surrounding country. According to local tradition, Spaniards and their Indigenous allies reached Quetzalla in 1531. Silver deposits in the nearby hills encouraged the development of a mining settlement in the sixteenth century. Cosalá became known for its mines, whose wealth continued to draw attention during the struggle for Mexican independence. In 1811 the insurgent leader Miguel Hidalgo urged an attack on the town because of its gold and silver.