{"id":8383,"date":"2021-12-21T06:28:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T06:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/elsalvadorviajar.com\/en\/?p=8383"},"modified":"2022-11-23T00:47:27","modified_gmt":"2022-11-23T00:47:27","slug":"sitio-arqueologico-san-andres-una-valiosa-joya-prehispanica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/elsalvadorviajar.com\/en\/archaeological-sites\/san-andres\/","title":{"rendered":"\u25b7 SAN ANDR\u00c9S ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE \u00bb Pre-Hispanic jewel"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On our trip through El Salvador, we cannot miss the enigmatic San Andres Archaeological Site, considered one of the largest pre-Hispanic precincts in the country<\/strong>, occupied by the Mayas in their period of most extraordinary splendor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This monumental center is a “Cultural Heritage”<\/strong> protected by the Hague Convention of 1954.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s travel to the past and discover the charms of this exciting tourist destination, one of the most valuable archaeological discoveries of this small but captivating Central American territory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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San Andr\u00e9s Archaeological Site Data<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Country:<\/th>El Salvador<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Department:<\/th>La Libertad<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Category:<\/th>Archaeological Sites<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Route:<\/th>Mayan Route<\/a><\/td><\/tr>
Culture:<\/th>Maya<\/td><\/tr>
Periodo:<\/th> 900 b.C<\/td><\/tr>
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Location of San Andr\u00e9s Archaeological Site<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Location<\/a>
Location of the San Andr\u00e9s Archaeological Site<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Location and history of the San Andres Archaeological Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To visit the San Andr\u00e9s Archaeological Site<\/strong>, we must travel to the department of La Libertad, located in the Zapotit\u00e1n Valley and on the banks of the Sucio River<\/strong>, where this magnificent scenery is part of Salvadoran history is found.<\/p>\n\n\n

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San Andr\u00e9s de El Salvador Archaeological Site. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It is almost 30 minutes from the capital, San Salvador<\/a><\/strong>, and 3 kilometers from La Joya de Cer\u00e9n<\/a><\/strong>, occupying approximately 20 hectares of land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to research, it is concluded that this was the “capital of a Mayan lordship”<\/strong><\/em> that controlled the human settlements of the Zapotit\u00e1n Valley<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its history begins in the year 900 B.C. when the area began to be colonized when the Mesoamerican culture<\/strong> was at its peak. There lived rulers, and priests, among other privileged classes, in addition to the peasants who worked the land and harvested the fruits.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Ruins
Ruins of San Andr\u00e9s archaeological sites of El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

They were dedicated to trading<\/strong>, and there were exchanges with Teotihuacan, Guatemala, and Belize, which are documented with objects and ceramics found in excavations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History shows us that this territory was vacated around the year 250 by an eruption of the Ilopango Volcano<\/strong>. Repopulated it again in the V century; at the end of 1200 A.D., all signs of human life disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the Spanish conquest, the San Andres Archaeological Site<\/strong> was within the limits of a colonial hacienda, hence its name, which was dedicated to the production of indigo<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the year 1658, and due to the eruption of El Play\u00f3n, the “obraje de a\u00f1il,”<\/strong><\/em> or indigo processing facility, which we can see today, was buried but almost intact.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Visit the San Andr\u00e9s Archaeological Site. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In the first decades of the 20th century, archaeological studies were initiated by experts John Dimick and Stanley H. Boggs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What to see at the San Andr\u00e9s Archaeological Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The excavation works of the complex buildings at the San Andres Archaeological Site<\/strong> clearly show several areas with particular uses.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Visit San Andr\u00e9s Archaeological Site in El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Acropolis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It was the area reserved for the rulers, located in a high sector of the site, which spoke of the status of its residents. The “Aposentos”<\/strong> have been identified there, which were probably the bedrooms or halls where held received important people of the time and audiences were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the south and east zones, there are several pyramids of different sizes, and it is presumed that they could be the tombs of the rulers<\/strong>, but they have not yet been excavated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the so-called structure 7, exotic objects were found, such as bowls and seashells, some figures, and sahumadores for offerings; they probably came from Belize<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n

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San Andr\u00e9s Ruins in El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Great Plaza<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is inferred that it could have functioned<\/strong> in its time as a local market, where negotiations and merchandise exchanges took place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Main Pyramid<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is next to the Great Plaza<\/strong>, it is the largest and is known as The Bell. It was joined to the Acropolis by other L-shaped buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The indigo works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It is a great space that shows how the ancient settlers processed the leaves of jiquilite, to obtain a blue or indigo ink, very used to give color to the fabrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carlos de Sola Museum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This museum of the San Andres Archaeological Site<\/strong> is opened in honor of this executive of the General Directorate of Culture, Youth, and Sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 1986, it has three rooms. In one, it explains the zone’s geography<\/strong>; another talks about the investigations that have been made, and the third one with allegories to the colonial time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to get to San Andres Archaeological Site<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Getting to the imposing San Andres<\/strong> Archaeological Site is easy since the route is very well indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n

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San Andr\u00e9s Archaeological Site in El Salvador. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

If we come by car, we take the CA-1 Highway in San Salvador<\/strong>, westbound, and the complex is at kilometer 31.5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We must park in the indicated places and pay a $1.00 per parking fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you use a bus, you should go to the Terminal de Occidente in San Salvador<\/strong>, take the units that make route 201 and tell the driver to drop you off at the ruins’ entrance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommendations to visit the San Andres Archaeological Site<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

El Salvador, in general, is a country with a hot climate practically all year round, and the San Andres Archaeological Site is no exception, so let’s consider the following recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Visit San Andr\u00e9s. Photo by ElSalvadorViajar.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n