The End of Pre-Columbian Pipil Civilization, Ciudad Vieja, El Salvador
With contributions by: Jeb J. Card, Department of Anthropology, Tulane University

Location, Setting, Context

The archaeological site of Ciudad Vieja is located in central El Salvador at 13° 51' 33" north latitude and 89° 01' 58" west longitude, at an elevation of 534 m above sea level. The site was built on a small meseta formed by an extrusive andesite outcrop that rises above a small natural basin south of the middle reaches of the Lempa River known as the Paraíso Basin (Fowler and Earnest 1985). Before the construction of the city, the top of this meseta would have been irregular and craggy with many andesite outcrops and boulders, thus requiring extensive leveling and terracing (Figure 3 and Figure 4).

The dominant natural features of the surrounding landscape are Cerro Tecomatepe, a small remnant volcanic cone to the southwest, and the extinct Guazapa Volcano to the west (Figure 2, shown above). The natural vegetation is tropical deciduous forest of the seasonal formation series (Daugherty 1969:49; Fowler 1989b:82). Some characteristic tree species of this formation are the ceiba (Ceiba pentandra), amate (Ficus spp.), and conacaste (Enterolobium cyclocarpum). The area was probably very thickly wooded at the time of the Conquest, thus requiring a great deal of clearing for the construction of the city. The labor for clearing and leveling and for construction of the city was provided by Pipil commoners from towns allied with the Cuscatlán polity. Agricultural tribute commodities from the same communities supplied the city with food (Fowler 1989:155-185).

Systematic archaeological research was begun at the site in 1996 under the direction of William R. Fowler, working in close collaboration with the Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y el Arte (CONCULTURA) of El Salvador. Since that time, five additional field seasons of survey, mapping, and excavation have generated data revealing the strongly indigenous character of the city (Fowler and Gallardo 2002). The site was built on a grid plan with an area covering 45 ha, but the plan is polycentric rather than strictly orthogonal, possibly reflecting indigenous influence (Figure 3 and Figure 4). The plaza mayor, the church and cabildo (town hall) platforms, other buildings, streets, and house lots are clearly visible on the surface. Many architectural features of the site, especially house platforms and terraces, seem indigenous in character. Even the cabildo structure itself, resembles more a Late Postclassic range structure than a European-style public building. Several indigenous residences have been excavated at the site, and these are clearly distinguishable from Spanish residences by their form and construction techniques as well as artifact associations (Hamilton 2002). A strong indigenous presence at San Salvador is also reflected in the ceramics and artifact complexes of Ciudad Vieja. The site's surface is littered with ceramic sherds, and the ceramic complex shares many forms and decorative modes representing continuities with known Late Postclassic Pipil materials. In addition to the highly visible concentrations of ceramics, obsidian artifacts occur in great numbers on the surface and in excavated contexts. Pre-Columbian style ceramic figurines also occur, as do ceramic earspools and ground-and-polished greenstone ornaments and other items of personal adornment of indigenous origin (Card 2002). Objects associated with indigenous dietary patterns are also found. Groundstone manos and metates occur in relatively high frequencies, indicating indigenous food-preparation techniques. Analysis of the faunal remains of a large midden deposit revealed the presence of dog (Canis familiaris) bones with butchering marks (Scott 2002). In sum, the archaeological evidence indicates that this early conquest-period town had a native Mesoamerican population of overwhelming proportions.

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