Geostratigraphy, Volcanology, and Chronology at Ceren: Implications of Dating the Ilopango and Loma Caldera Eruptions

Summary

Built upon a fine white volcanic tephra from the eruption of the Ilopango caldera and buried under tephra from an eruption of Loma Caldera, the Maya village of Ceren affords a unique opportunity to explore geostratigraphy, volcanology, and chronology in relation to vulnerability and resilience. The sheer volume and scale of the eruption of Ilopango caldera, known as Tierra Blanca Joven (TBJ), would have had decimated not only the Zapotitán valley in which Ceren is located, but also all of El Salvador and parts of the greater Maya area. However, the dates of both the TBJ eruption and the later eruption of Loma Caldera remain debated. Initial studies found that the TBJ event occurred sometime in the 3rd century, supporting the foundation and occupation of Ceren as having occurred in the late 6th century. However, new radiocarbon dates have reappraised the TBJ eruption, moving it into the 6th century. Likewise, additional radiocarbon dates suggest a date in the later 7th century for the Loma Caldera eruption. This paper aims to explore the implications of the revised dating of the Ilopango and Loma Caldera eruptions for both the cultural trajectory of El Salvador and Maya village of Ceren.

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This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Construction of a Community: Recent Findings from Ceren, El Salvador   •
• Society for American Archaeology 80th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA (2015)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage