• The archaeological project of the Greater Basin in Flores, Petén (Guatemala) has discovered the first network of roads of the Mayan world.
  • The Nuevo Lourdes archaeological site (El Salvador) is an important discovery of the Pre-Hispanic era.

The traces and signs left by humanity over the years, allow us to get to know the physical aspects and social and cultural manifestations of ancient human communities. Central America is rich in this type of finding, it has incredible and diverse archaeological sites in its regions, thus providing traces of humanity’s cultural memory.

The history represented in all of these sites not only offers data on the existence of ancient cultures, but also provides identity and value to the Central American Nations. There are various destinations full of archaeological passages throughout Central America; they can be enjoyed for their history and for their natural and tropical beauty characteristic of this very distinctive area.

The first network of highways of the Mayan world

The Mirador basin, part of the Maya biosphere reserve, is considered the greatest tropical jungle reserve in America. In this area the Greater Basin project is carried out; this team recently discovered the first network of roads of the Mayan world. According to the director of the program, Richard Hansen, with this finding it has been confirmed that Guatemala could be the cradle of the Maya civilization.

The roads are more than 240 kilometers long, and it is thought that they were used for the transportation of goods. This is a unique discovery of our time, because provides details that had not been identified in any other Central American area.

Findings in Río Amarillo or “Yellow River”, Copan

In Honduras, you will find the ruins of Copán, which were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. They are known for being fascinating because they were the ancient capital of the Maya Kingdom between them fifth and ninth centuries. In the ruins of Copan Archeological Park, as it is commonly known, you can see what were once palaces, plazas, monuments and stelae.

To the West of the main ruins of Copan you will find the Yellow River Archaeological Park, a gradual discovery of recent years that still has an active group of European and Central American experts working on the excavations.

After the excavation work of the archaeologists, the specialists keep trying to answer the enigma about why the Maya dissapeared. Tests show that there was a sharp drop in population numbers and signifact migration with no re-habitation. Evindence of this is that the buildings that were found were unfinished and the tools that were used to build them were found scattered.

The research, directed by the Institute for the Integral Development of Honduras, managed to determine that the population was organized in 26 settlements located in 35 hectares which, according to Guatemalan archaeologist Edy Barrios, contained between six and twelve homes each.

Copan, is known worldwide for having different artistic manifestations in their stelae. Among the impressive findingd that can be observed in the site are the “game of ball” playingfield and the Grand Square where there are amazing stelae and altars, many of these with zoomorphic shapes.

The Nuevo Lourdes archaeological site and everyday life in the Pre-Hispanic era

In the new Lourdes archaeological site, traces of daily life in Pre-Hispanic times in the country and the rest of Mesoamerica were discovered, explained the Director of Archaeology of the Directorate for Cultural Heritage of the Secretariat of Culture, Shione Shibata.

Those discoveries are linked with the daily life since they are not ceremonial places, nor have any remains of pyramids. The first findings were discovered by a group of workers, who found offerings and a burial, as well as various fragments of ceramic, stone and Obsidian.

In all these sites you can observe the wonders of the colective cultural memory of the lands of Central American. The best way of discovering these routes is camping to enjoy the environment full of nature, history and Syncretism.

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