Joya de Cerén
This site is known for the excellent preservation of a Classic period settlement that was rapidly buried by the ashfall of an eruption of the Loma Caldera around AD 600.[1] Joya de Cerén was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 for its archeological importance, and is a major tourist attraction in El Salvador.[6][7] The site was remarkably well preserved due to the low temperature of ash and very fast ashfall, a 4 - 8 meter thick layer having blanketed the town in the space of a few hours.The use of plaster casting by archaeologists similar to the one used in Pompeii assisted in their identification of fruiting plants, abundance of beans in storage, and mature maize to predict the eruption happened in August or September.[9] Based on crack patterns observed from the relatively earthquake-resistant wattle-and-daub walls and adobe columns at Joya de Cerén, scholars suggest that an earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter scale preceded the eruption, giving residents time to flee the site.[12] The position of artifacts at the site have led scholars to suggest that the evacuation of Joya de Cerén happened in the early evening: shovels and other agricultural work equipment were found stored near the domestic structures, and fires had been lit in hearths.[21] For instance, decorated vessels and a red painted deer and twine headdress was recovered in Structure 10, which has been interpreted by archaeologists as connected with fertility and harvest rituals.
La Libertad DepartmentEl SalvadorMaya civilizationUNESCO World Heritage SitesessionLatin America and the CaribbeanSpanish languagearchaeological sitepre-ColumbianSan SalvadorPompeiiAmericasClassic periodLoma CalderapaleoethnobotanicalmaniocNew WorldUNESCO World Heritage ListLoma Caldera volcanoRichter scalehearthstemascalmilpasaltarscachesobsidianSierra de las MinasCopánPayson SheetsanthropologyUniversity of Colorado at BoulderWayback MachineMaya sitesBelizeActun Tunichil MuknalAltun HaBaking PotBarton Creek CaveCahal PechCaracolCerrosChaa CreekCuelloEl PilarKaʼKabishKʼaxobLa MilpaLamanaiLouisvilleLower DoverLubaantunMarco GonzalezMinanhaNim Li PunitNohmulNohoch CheʼenPacbitunPusilhaSan EstevanSanta RitaUxbenkaXnahebXunantunichGuatemalaAguatecaAltar de SacrificiosArroyo de PiedraBalbertaBejucalCancuénCerro QuiacChitinamitChocoláChutixtioxCotzumalhuapaDos PilasEl BaúlEl ChalEl MiradorEl PerúEl PorvenirEl TemblorEl TintalEl ZotzGuaytánHolmulHoltunIximcheIxtontonIxtutzKaminaljuyuKʼatepanLa AmeliaLa BlancaLa CoronaLa JoyancaLa MuertaMachaquilaMixco ViejoMontanaMotul de San JoséNaachtunNaranjoPajaralPiedras NegrasPunta de ChiminoQuiriguáQʼumarkajRío AzulSan BartoloSan ClementeSeibalTakalik AbajTamarinditoTayasalTopoxteTres IslasUaxactunUcanalWajxaklajunWitznaXultunZacpetenZaculeuZapote BobalHonduras