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Joya de Ceren is one of the most amazing sites to visit in El Salvador. I never was so interested in archaeological ruins until I saw this beauty!
Located in the valley of Sapotitán – one of the most fertile valleys in
El Salvador – it gives us a chance to look back at ancient civilizations and ways of life. It consists of 10 pre-hispanic structures.

Joya de Ceren is a unique site found in Mesoamerica; it was suddenly buried in ashes by a volcanic eruption. And in recognition of its archeological importance, in 1993 it was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. This site has been compared to Pompeii and Herculaneum for its superb level of preservation and has been referred to as the Pompeii of the Americas.
According to archaeologists, this is what happened...

Around the year 640 CE when the Loma Caldera volcano erupted in hot ashes and volcanic "bombs" that were as big as 1 meter in diameter. The inhabitants of this small farming village lived a mere 600 meters from the volcano.
Needless to say, they had to flee immediately leaving everything behind. The eruption buried the site in layers of ashes that were between 4 to 8 meters thick. Interestingly, unlike Pompeii, no human remains have been found in the site which has lead scientists to believe that everyone in the village was able to escape.
Joya de Ceren is really one of my favourite sites in El Salvador. It is because of its great level of preservation that today we are able to see how the people of this farming community lived. Amazingly enough, walking into one of the houses, it was found that shelves were still stocked with food items like beans, corn and cacao.

This is a look into one of the houses at Joya de Ceren, pretty nice. You see that structure on the back of the house?
It’s a dome that received a volcanic “bomb” and created a big hole on the top of it. This dome structure was actually a “sauna” bath (Temezcales in the Nahuatl language).
These sauna baths were part of the Mesoamerican homes but this one in Joya de Cerén is the best preserved one that has been found so far. These Temezcales or saunas had a low a entrance, apparently to keep the heat inside, so people would have to crawl into it.

How to get there
Located on Km 35 on the highway to San Juan Opico in La Libertad, here is a small map for a general idea of the location. The site is visible from the highway.
Bus service is available to this area, but the buses can get pretty crowded, so my recommendation would be to either arrange a tour there or a taxi.
Hotels usually offer to either get a taxi or arrange tours for their guests. But if you prefer to take public transit, it is available and with easy access there.

Hours of operation:

• Open Tuesday to Sunday 9am – 4pm
• Guided tours are given every 15 minutes
• Admission: $3.00 for tourists, $1.00 for locals and free for children under 8 years of age and for adults over 60
• Parking: $1.00

Amenities:

• Picnic area
• Small concession stand
• On-site museum (please note that the museum will be closed for renovations between September and December 2008)

Joya de Cerén is a work in progress. The Salvadorean organization responsible for these archaeological sites, FUNDAR, is diligently working to help protect these ancient structures from the elements.
At Joya de Cerén for example, new roofs have been installed and old leaks repaired, signs have been put up among many other things that have been done there.
Joya de Cerén is part of the recommended Ruta Maya (Mayan route) which is a series of archaeological sites recommended for tourists.

The San Andres ruins are located in the valley of Zapotitán about 5km southwest of Joya de Cerén. It is one of the largest pre-hispanic ruins in
El Salvador and was a regional capital during the late Classic Period.

These ruins are pretty amazing. This community covered about 200 hectares (about 2 sq km) and consisted of a monumental center surrounded by a large residential common area.
It is believed that San Andres became the elite class and exerted power over the valley of Zapotitán as well as other neighbouring areas such as the valley of Hammocks which is now San Salvador.


Interestingly, in 1995 when doing some work in the area, an indigo workshop that dates back to 1658 was found.
This workshop, from the colonial times, is the best one found so far apparently because it was “sealed” by volcanic matter during the eruption of the El Playón volcano.
I found this to be so interesting especially since indigo blue is my favourite colour! So here is a picture of what was found on the site! For many years too, El Salvador was one of the top producers on indigo in the world until coffee took over.
The archaeological park

The archaeological park of San Andres is very nice and well taken care of. It’s looked after by FUNDAR (National Foundation of Archaeology of El Salvador), and I must say that they are working very hard to protect and improve the park for the public to enjoy. It looks just beautiful!

How to get there
The San Andres ruins are located in the department of La Libertad. To get there take the highway to San Ana (heading towards the Guatemalan border).
The ruins are located between the cities of Colón and Ciudad Arce. From San Salvador it only takes about 40 minutes to get there, the roads are in good condition.
The buses that service the departments of Santa Ana and Ahuachapán from
San Salvador also stop here, so they are an alternative to driving (just make sure to tell the driver or the “cobrador” – the person collecting the fare – that you want to get off at the San Andres ruins).

Hours of operation

• Monday to Sunday - 9am to 4pm
• Admission: $3.00 for tourists, $1.00 for locals, free for children under 8 and adults over 60
• Parking: $1.00

Amenities

• Picnic area
• Small concession stand
• On site museum

As is the case with the Cihuatán ruins the sun can get pretty strong here. There are several areas that have been cleared of trees to protect the ancient structures so I would recommend bringing a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun.

During the years, many artifacts have been unearthed on this site. They are showcased in the on-site museum.

The Mayan ruins of Tazumal.

This is a fascinating ancient site with many little secrets and historical treasures to discover.

They cover an area of approximately 5-10 sq km and are located in the city of Chalchuapa in the department of Santa Ana about 85 km west of San Salvador.

It is believed that the Olmecs, Toltecs, Mayas, Pocomanes and the Pipiles occupied this area of Mesoamerica.
Tazumal in the Quiché language means “place where the victims were burned”. These ruins are a series of structures that date back to 100-1200 BC. It is believed that this community was constructed by the Mayans who settled here.
It included tombs, smaller pyramids as well as a complex drainage system. An indigo workshop was also found on this site.
The main pyramid is about 23 meters high. A ball court was also discovered here, unfortunately it is believed that the captain of the losing team was then sacrificed.

The Tazumal ruins are the most well known ruins in El Salvador and have been featured in stamps and a Salvadorean bank note (now out of use).


Also, the life-size statue of Xipe-Totec which is believed to have come from Mexico, was discovered. This statue is now showcased in the Museum of Anthropology David J. Guzmán, it's a pretty amazing statue!

Amenities:

• On site museum
• Small picnic area
• No parking is available inside the site so visitors need to park outside on the street

Admissions for Tazumal:

• Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am – 4pm
• $0.69 for locals, $2.86 for tourists

How to get there:

• Tazumal ruins

Take the Panamerican hwy - CA-1 (Carretera Panamericana) westbound from San Salvador towards Santa Ana. A few kilometers after the Santa Ana exit is the turnoff to the “Las Chinamas” Guatemalan border, this is the exit you want and it will take you to the city of Chalchuapa.
As you enter Chalchuapa, take the first road to the left leading off the highway and it will take you to a small Texaco gas station. At this point, take a left and this road will take you straight to the Tazumal ruins.

Casa Blanca ruins
Also located in the same area are the Casa Blanca ruins which are the remains of a very large Pre-Classic and Classic period settlement. A coffee plantation farm named Casa Blanca was located here during the colonial times and when the ancient ruins were found the archaeological site was given the same name.

The Casa Blanca ruins are composed of 6 structures that have been excavated and some are partly restored. The tallest pyramid rises approximately 15 meters. Structures 4 and 5 are still buried so visitors are only able to see bulges or swellings on the ground.
It’s really nice to walk on the paths of this park with all the surrounding greenery and being able to see the ancient structures. The archaeological park is rather small but it is nicely kept.

The small on site museum has nice, charming colonial architecture and showcases some of the artifacts that have been found in the site.
There is also an indigo workshop in the museum and you may be able to dye a shirt if you bring one. Here is a picture of the entrance to the museum.

During the last 10 years this site has also been serving as research grounds for local and foreign archaeology students

Amenities:

• On site colonial style museum
• In house indigo workshop
• Parking
• No picnic facilities in the site but there are many good eateries close by

Admissions for Casa Blanca:

• Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am – 4pm
• $0.69 for locals, $2.86 for tourists

How to get there:

• Casa Blanca ruins

Take the Panamerican hwy - CA-1 (Carretera Panamericana) westbound from San Salvador towards Santa Ana. A few kilometers after the Santa Ana you will see the sign into the archaeological park. The Casa Blanca archaeological park is located right next to the city cemetery.
Bus service is also available to this area. If you decide to go by bus, you would need to take the buses that service the department of Ahuachapán. You will need to let the fare collector (cobrador) that you want to get off at the Casa Blanca ruins and they will stop right there for you. From here, it’s a short walk to the Tazumal ruins (about 10 small blocks).
So all together, the Tazumal, Casa Blanca, Joya de Cerén and San Andrés archaeological ruins form the well recommended Mayan route in El Salvador.

The name Cihuatán means "land of the woman" in the native nahuatl language. This is located is Aguilares, San Salvador, in the valley of the Guazapa volcano. It is believed that it was named Cihuatán because when looking at the Guazapa hills, they look like the silhouette of a woman lying down - I know, look at the picture here and you'll see that it really does!. Excavations here have demonstrated that Cihuatán was an urban city with a significant population and with large ceremonial centers. Up to now, 3 platforms in what was the city center have been discovered along with pyramids, palaces and playgrounds and many clay and ceramic artifacts.