When seeking for a balance of archaeological research caried out in the states of Jalisco, Zacatecas and Durango, it is clear that we have a very poor general knowledge about its prehispanic peoples. Because of this, perspectives for research ahould in the future be aimed towards obtaining a complete archaeological inventory, which may then be used as a starting point for the explanation and understanding of the cultural dinamics of this region and thereby being able to evaluate its relationship to the rest of Mesoamerica, En este artículo la autora presenta los conocimientos que se tienen a través de la arqueología de los estados de Jalisco, Zacatecas y Durango, argumentando que los antiguos pobladores de estos sitios también intervinieron en la historia cultural de Mesoamérica.