The Cotzumalguapa Archaeological Project focuses on one of the major Classic period cities in Southern Mesoamerica. The project includes field archaeological research, artifact analyses, documentary research, recording and analysis of Cotzumalguapa sculptural art and writing. Field research has included extensive reconnaissance, excavations in habitational and monumental compounds, excavations along the system of causeways and bridges of the area, and excavations in an obsidian workshop located near the El Baúl acropolis. Beginning in 1994, the project has completed seven field seasons, thanks to the financial and logistical support of the following institutions: Museo Popol Vuh Universidad Francisco Marroquín National Geographic Society Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala Asociación Tikal

Recent Activities
An example of the results of prospection with proton magnetometer.	Central American School of Applied Geophysics The VIth Central American School of Applied Geophysics took place in May, 2003, with participants from all Central American countries, and from France. Field activities at Cotzumalguapa focused on the search for buried archaeological features. Geophysical methods included magnetometry, electric resistivity, electromagnetic methods, and Ground-Penetrating Radar. The project was coordinated by geophysicists Louis Pastor and Richard Vanhoeserlande, with the assistance of French and Central American instructors. The school was co-organized by the Popol Vuh Museum, the University of San Carlos, the French Cooperation, the French Center for Mexican and Central American Studies, and the University of Paris VII. Up ^
General view of the excavations in the obsidian workshop area of El Baúl.	Excavations at the El Baúl Obsidian Workshop The 2002 field season focused on the study of debris from a workshop dedicated to the production of obsidian artifacts, located in the environs of the El Baúl acropolis. Extensive samples of debris from the manufacturing process of obsidian projectile points and prismatic blades were recovered. Their analysis provides information on the manufacturing processes of obsidian artifacts, and the importation of raw materials from sources located in the Guatemala highlands. This work was possible thanks to a grant from the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research. Laboratory analysis was financed by a grant from the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, Inc. (FAMSI). Up ^
Aerial view of the El Baúl acropolis, with El Castillo in the background. Click on the image to enlarge.	Aerial archaeology in the Pacific Coast Aerial reconnaissance was carried out between 1999 and 2002, at Cotzumalguapa and other regions of Escuintla. The Cotzumalguapa region and its surroundings were systematically covered with the purpose of locating peripheral sites and features that are invisible on the surface. Reconnaissance extended into the municipios of Siquinalá, La Democracia, and La Gomera, with photographic recording of numerous major sites. Several small sites that were previously unknown were also recorded. This work was possible thanks to the collaboration of Mr. Martin Keller, and thanks to financial support from the National Geographic Society. Up ^
Digital reconstruction of a ball court at El Baúl Click on the image for other views.	Digital reconstruction of the Ball Court at El Baúl Collaboration of the AutoCAD Guatemala/Geométrica S.A. corporation made it possible to develop a hypothetical reconstruction of a ball court excavated in 1998 at El Baúl. The reconstruction was based on excavation data, which provided a basis for a 3D reconstruction of the ball cour plan, generated with AutoCAD software. Final views were created by Stephanie Castillo, using 3D Studio software to add textures and backgrounds for realistic views of local landscape and topography. Up ^

The Archaeology of Cotzumalguapa

Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa is one of the most important archaeological zones of Guatemala, located in the department of Escuintla, at the foot of the Pacific volcanic range. Judging from current evidence, this area experienced a early development going back at least to the end of the Early Preclassic period (ca. 800 BC). By the Late Preclassic period, the region was the seat of an important chiefdom. Stela 1 from El Baúl has one of the earliest hieroglyphic inscriptions in Mesoamerica, with the earliest legible date known in the modern territory of Guatemala, going back to AD 37.

The region experienced an extraordinary development during the Late Classic period, between AD 650 and 1000. At this time, Cotzumalguapa became one of the largest cities in Southern Mesoamerica, a major center of political power and cultural innovation. Research has shown that the city covered approximately ten square kilometers, and included two major architectural compounds, corresponding to the sites known as El Baúl and Bilbao. Both are large platforms that sustain monumental compounds, and possess the major concentrations of monumental sculptures. A third important compound, known as El Castillo, also formed part of this urban center, and may have been the main plaza of this great city. A system of causeways and bridges joined together these three compounds with each other and with other sectors of the city.

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, stelae, altars, colossal heads, and three-dimensional sculptures, as well as a variety of architectural sculptures such as 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 and the Motagua river valley.

Online Reports

Adobe Reader Required

Margarita Cossich y Oswaldo Chinchilla
El Signo "Estrella" en el Arte y la Escritura de Cotzumalguapa
En XIX Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas de Guatemala, 2005.

Oswaldo Chinchilla, et al.
Paisaje y Asentamientos en Cotzumalguapa
En XIX Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas de Guatemala, 2005.

Oswaldo Chinchilla, et al.
Nuevas Investigaciones Geofísicas y Arqueolóigicas en Guatemala
En XX Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas de Guatemala, 2006.

Proyecto arqueológico Residenciales Santa Lucía.
Investigaciones al oeste de la acrópolis de Bilbao, Cotzumalguapa. Guatemala (2009).
Informe Final Temporada 2009 (2.51 MB)

Proyecto arqueológico Cotzumalguapa, Informe de la temporada 2006, Guatemala (2006)
Informe Temporada 2007 (1.44 MB)

Proyecto arqueológico Cotzumalguapa, Informe de la temporada 2006, Guatemala (2006)
Informe Temporada 2006 (2.25 MB)

Oswaldo Chinchilla, et al.
Intercambio de Cerámica a Larga Distancia en Cotzumalguapa: Resultados del Análisis por Activación de Neutrones
En XVIII Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas de Guatemala, 2005.

Sébastien Perrot-Minot, et al.
Prospección Geofísica en la zona de Cotzumalguapa: Resultados de la VI Escuela Centroamericana de Geofísica Aplicada.
En XVIII Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas de Guatemala, 2005.

Oswaldo Chinchilla
Analysis of Archaeological Artifacts from Cotzumalhuapa, Guatemala.
Reporte presentado a FAMSI, 2003.

Oswaldo Chinchilla y Edgar Carpio Rezzio
El Taller de Obsidiana de El Baúl, Zona Nuclear de Cotzumalguapa: Informe Preliminar
En XVI Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2003.

Oswaldo Chinchilla
Investigaciones por medio de Radar de Penetración al Suelo (GPR) en la zona nuclear de Cotzumalguapa, Escuintla
En XV Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2001.

José Crasborn
Los Artefactos de Obsidiana de El Castillo, Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa: Resultados Preliminares
En XV Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 2001.

Oswaldo Chinchilla, et al.
Palo Verde: Un centro secundario en la zona de Cotzumalguapa, Guatemala
Informe de Journal de la Société des Américanistes, 2001.

Oswaldo Chinchilla
Archaeological Research at Cotzumalhuapa, Guatemala
Reporte presentado a FAMSI, 2000.

Oswaldo Chinchilla
A Corpus of Cotzumalhuapa-Style Sculpture, Guatemala
Reporte presentado a FAMSI, 1998.

Oswaldo Chinchilla
Las Esculturas de Cotzumalguapa en el Museo Etnográfico de Berlín
En X Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 1997.

Oswaldo Chinchilla
Un Puente Prehispánico en el Área de Santa Lúcia Cotzumalguapa
En VIII Simposio de Investigaciones Arqueológicas en Guatemala, 1995.

Alain Ichon et Jacques Cassier
Découvertes Récentes a Bilbao, Escuintla (Guatemala)
Bulletin de la Société Suisse des Américanistes Online