El Baúl

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Stela 1, showing one of the earliest Long Count dates yet discovered, March 6, 37 CE (7.19.15.7.12).

El Baúl is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site in present-day Guatemala. El Baúl, along with the sites of Bilbao and El Castillo, is part of the Cotzumalguapa Nuclear Zone.

[edit] Cotzumalguapa

The Cotzumalguapa Zone is 10 km², containing not only the 3 main sites, but the minor site of Golón as well as connecting stone-paved causeways and bridges. Its main structures were made of earthen filling and carefully chosen stones. There have been found more than 200 structures and 187 sculptured monuments here dating from Pre-Classic (see Stela 1, to right, dated at 37 CE) to the Late Classic (600-1000 CE). In the Late Classic phase, El Bal was one of the most important Pacific coast sites.

The inhabitants of Cotzumalguapa developed an original artistic style and a writing system of their own, which found expression in a large corpus of monumental sculptures. These include rock carvings, stelas, altars, colossal heads, and sculptures, both free-standing and as a component of the architecture (e. g. carved stairs, pillars, and pavement stones). There are also numerous portable sculptures. Characteristic of the Cotzumalguapa style is an extraordinary degree of realism in the representation of human figures, which in many cases may be considered as individual portraits, possibly representing kings and nobles. In many cases, these individuals participate in complex scenes, where they interact with other human characters or with supernatural beings. Sacrificial scenes are frequent. Distinctive elements of the Cotzumalguapa style include speech scrolls shaped as vines with a variety of flowers and fruits. Hieroglyphic signs usually are inscribed in circular cartouches, but they may also acquire complex animated forms.

Cotzumalguapa was most likely the seat of a powerful state, which exerted political control over a vast region of the Pacific coast. The diffusion of the sculptural style provides a measure of the geographic extension of Cotzumalguapa influence. The style is found along a 200 kilometer stretch of the Pacific coast, from the modern border between Guatemala and El Salvador to the department of Suchitepéquez. It also had strong presence in some regions of the Central and Eastern Highlands, particularly in the region of Antigua Guatemala. Some elements of the style are perceptible in sculptures from various sites located in Chimaltenango in the Central Highlands, Wastern Pacific Coastal area and the Motagua river valley.

The El Baúl Acrópolis is located 4 km north from Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, 550 mt. above sea level 50 km from the Pacific, Its southern Acrópolis complex was destroyed in 1997 by an urbanization of this City, and the Main groups are now sugar cane fields. the Ball Court is Located 500 mt north of the Acrópolis with several residential groups in between, united by 2 causeways. Its geologic context is Volcanic, The Fuego volcano is Active and located north of the site, this constant activity difficult the Archeological recognition of this sites. This site shows Monumental architecture in its Acrópolis as well as a Sweet House and Obsidian Workshops, Analysis of these deposits is particularly important for the study of the ancient obsidian industry. The P31 stratigraphic pit continued below these deposits to a depth of 3.78 meters, revealing volcanic ash layers derived from the adjacent Fuego volcano. Obsidian debitage continued below these ash layers, suggesting that the area was used as a refuse deposit for a prolonged period.

The largest causeway is 2.5 km long and ranging from 11 to 14 metres wide, to communicate the Acropolis of Bilbao and El Baúl. Before entering El Baúl, the causeway ran across a large bridge over the Santiago river gorge. The foundation walls of the bridge, which most probably sustained a wooden structure, are still visible along a 30-meter span of the river course. An excavation carried out on the western side of the river gorge revealed two constructional stages for the causeway at this location, both of which date to the Late Classic period. Many monumental sculptures have been found along the causeways.

[edit] References

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