Paquime, Casas Grandes, which reached its apogee in the 14th and 15th cen­turies, played a key role in trade and cul­tur­al con­tacts between the Pueblo cul­ture of the south-west­­ern Unit­ed States and north­ern Mex­i­co and the more advanced civ­i­liza­tions of Mesoamer­i­ca. The exten­sive remains, only part of which have been exca­vat­ed, are clear evi­dence of the vital­i­ty of a cul­ture which was per­fect­ly adapt­ed to its phys­i­cal and eco­nom­ic envi­ron­ment, but which sud­den­ly van­ished at the time of the Span­ish Con­quest.