Twin Sites: Chalchuapa and San Andres

As of yet, El Salvador has three important archeological sites: Cihuatán, for being a large multi-cultural city in the same end-of-Classic time frame as Chichen Itza; Joyas de Cerén, for its mid-Classic farming village locked in time by the covering of lava; and Chalchuapa, for being one of the most important Pacific Coast sites during the pre-Classic period. Of course, there still remains much research to be done at the four islands - Teopán, Teotipa, Olomega, and Monte Cristo - occupied by the Mesoamerican peoples for thousands of years before the beginning of the Mayan pre-Classic period.

While the archeological record so far gives an initial date of between 1500 and 1200 BC for Chalchuapa and an initial data of about 900 BC for San Andrés, I believe that the start date should be closer to 1800 BC and that they were built at the same time. The main argument for the date is that given the close proximity of development of the Ch'orti Maya with the other Mesoamerican peoples - the Lenca/Olmecs and the Zapotecs - prior to 1800 BC, it would be strange for the latter to begin monument building at Pacific coast sites further northwest 300 to 600 years prior to the Ch'orti. In addition it would be logical that the Ch'ortis would have started these sites soon after establishing their Atlantic base at Santa Rita, Belize.

The placement of Chalchuapa and San Andrés seems to indicate that they were built at the same time. The sites are 34.6 kilometers apart. The midpoint of the line connecting the two sites (see map; click to enlarge) is precisely at the lip of Lago Coatepeque. The builders of the two sites would have been living either on Teopán island, along the lakeshore, or near the accessible northern lip of the crater lake (at Siete Principes or Konko/El Congo), since that was the center of Ch'orti' development once the Quiche were forced to vacate the site.

Building the two sites equidistant from the northern lip of the lake would have given the sites symbolic importance. In addition, the line between Chalchuapa and San Andrés is 36 degrees south of a straight east-west line. This is almost exactly the angle of the sun in the sky on the winter solstice (Dec. 21) at this latitude (35 degrees south or 55 degrees above the southern horizon at noon).

Most of the archeological research at San Andrés has been limited to the building that took place during the Classic period. Very little is known what the site looked like during the pre-Classic period. Evidence has been found of habitation by 900 BC but given the limited research, it is quite possible that evidence for an earlier date could appear.

Like all sites in western or central El Salvador, San Andrés was abandoned for at least 200 years following the Ilopango eruption of 200 to 250 AD. When it was reestablished, it was a regional center that included the new better-known site of Joyas de Cerén. At lease seven structures were built including two main pyramids and a palace. The Salvadoran Cultural Ministry maintains a museum at the San Andrés site.

Chalchuapa consists of five main plazas spread over six square kilometers. At times the site is called by one or more of the plaza names: Tazumal, Casa Blanca, Pampe, El Trapiche, and Las Victorias. There are at least 58 large earthen mounds surrounding these five plazas. El Trapiche plaza includes several large Olmec-style carvings. Stela at this plaza indicate that writing was practiced here during the late pre-Classic period. Tazumal Plaza appears to have been developed during the mid-to-late Classic Period. The site was likely Ch'orti Maya throughout the pre-Classic and Classic periods, but then Pokoman Maya settled here before the arrival of the Spanish.

Even though it was not as large as El Mirador or Kaminaljuyu, better known pre-Classic Mayan sites, there are a number of indications that Chalchuapa was the most important site during the pre-Classic period. One is that its abandonment after the Ilopango eruption coincides with the collapse of the Pacific Coast predominance during the pre-Classic period. Two is that it seems to have maintained the closest relationship with the Olmec area of Mexico - this is not surprising given the cultures former close geographic relationship in El Salvador. Third is that many of the pre-classic pottery advances seem to have take place in Chalchuapa. The polychrome pottery which appears to have been a lead-in to the Classic period is found extensively at Chalchuapa.

I believe that Chalchuapa played two more very important roles. Not only did it play a role in coordinating Maya relationships with the Olmecs, it did the same thing with the Chavin and Paracas civilizations in Peru, as well as peoples in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, and Columbia. These trade relations were extremely important for the Mayas.

I would also maintain that throughout the pre-Classic period, unlike the Classic period, there was one recognized, maximum spiritual leader or council among the Ch'orti, and that leader or council was consistently located at Chalchuapa. Even the great center of El Mirador relied on Chalchuapa for its spiritual direction. But after the unpredicted and unexplained Ilopango eruption of 200-250 AD, the spiritual leaders of Chalchuapa, and El Mirador with it, lost their legitimacy. The Classic period, on the other hand, would be marked by many competing claims for spiritual and political legitimacy.