Friday, June 29, 2012

El Salvador - Pre Colonial Ruins of El Tazumal


Ruinas Del Tazumal, El Salvador, C. A.
Precolonial Ruins of El Tazumal, El Salvador, Central America

Photo by Estudio Canossa
1967

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Tazumal is a Pre-Columbian Maya archeological site in Chalchuapa, El Salvador. Tazumal means, "the place where the victims were burned," in K'iche'.

The site is located in the heart of Chalchuapa in the department of Santa Ana, some 60 kilometers from the capital, San Salvador. It includes a series of Maya ruins, including ceremonial architecture, that date to about AD 100-1200. The site includes an intricate water drainage system, a few tombs, adjacent minor pyramids, palaces and excavated ritual objects.

The ruins of Tazumal are considered the most important and best preserved in El Salvador. The artifacts found at Tazumal provide evidence of ancient and active trade between Tazumal and places as far away as Panama and Mexico. The excavated ruins are part of an area covering 10 km² (4 sq mi), much of it buried under the surrounding town. Archaeologists estimate that the first settlements in the area of Chalchuapa date to around 1200 BC.

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