Joya de Ceren

Joya de Ceren or the Jewel of Ceren often called the Pompeii of the Americas is an archaeological site located in La Libertad Department in El Salvador. The site safeguards an exuberant pre-Columbian village of Maya civilization.

The place was initially inhabited by a small farming community in 1200 BC. But was abandoned in 200 AD when Ilopango volcano erupted. The similar events occurred couple of times in near future and the inhabitants had to flee the place to save their lives.

The site was explored again in year 1976 unintentionally by a bulldozer driver who was working on an agriculture project given by the government. After that thorough explorations were conducted by a professor named Payson Sheets on the site. Till now, some 70 buildings have been found. These establishments include workshops, storehouses, communal sauna, kitchens, religious structures, living quarters, etc.

According to the archaeologists, the remains of the plant species in the site are of much value than the buildings. Many of the ancient fauna has survived in the place due to the lower levels of temperature of the wet ash received from the Loma Caldera volcano. The frequent eruptions from the volcano also aided in preserving the natural vegetation.

The site is also revelled because a vast expanse of manioc or cassava fields has been found. This makes them the only manioc fields at any archaeological site of New World. But according to the sources these fields do not exist at the site anymore. It has been discovered by the researchers that the farmers in the ancient time had planted cassavas few hours before the volcano erupted.