Casa Blanca, El Salvador, Pre-Columbian Maya archaeological site in Chalchuapa, El Salvador.
Casa Blanca is a pre-Columbian Maya archaeological park in Chalchuapa, Santa Ana department, El Salvador. Its 15 structures, designated C1 or C3, include six within the park, the largest being Structure 5 (C3-6) at about 15 meters. Most sit on a large platform 2 meters high, 240 meters north-south and 220 meters east-west, built of roughly split stones laid separately, with an access ramp on the east side inclined 6 to 8 degrees.
The pyramids at this site were built between 500 BC and 900 AD and show building styles from both Olmec culture and Teotihuacan. The mix of these different influences suggests the Maya had contact with these civilizations over a long period.
The museum displays Maya ceramics, tools, and ceremonial objects that show how ancient residents lived daily. These items reveal the customs and crafts that were important to the people who inhabited this place.
The site sits in woodland at about 710 meters elevation, so bring comfortable shoes and sun protection for the visit. Morning visits work best when temperatures are cooler and walking through the area is more pleasant.
The site's name comes from the coffee plantation that once occupied the land, and the government acquired the property in 1977. Archaeologists found Monument 13, a weathered jaguar head, and Monument 14, a zoomorphic head, at the site, though their original positions are unknown.
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