Northwest of Chihuahua city (or  southwest of Ciudad Juarez) lies the most important archaeological zone in the north, the ruins of the city of Paquimé. Many aspects of the Paquimé  culture, which reached its zenith during the 11th century, are similar to those of Amerindian groups of the American southwest.

Since excavation began, the  remnants of the four-, sometimes five-story adobe buildings garnered the site  the name of Casas Grandes (Large Houses), a label used to designate both the ruins and the now famous Paquimé-style black-and-red striped pottery.