Open and Restricted Plaza of San Andres in the Zapotitan Valley, El Salvador

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2021: General Sessions" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Plazas are important spaces for the ancient Mesoamerican daily life. Despite this perception is shared among many scholars, in the Southeastern Maya area, especially in El Salvador, the study of plaza is limited. This paper focuses on San Andres, which was ceremonial center in the Zapotitan valley during the Late Classic period and has been identified two plazas in the main architectural group; open and restricted plaza. Based on the new excavations and radiocarbon data from San Andres, this paper examines when and how these plazas were formed in San Andres and interprets its social implications. Both plazas were constructed simultaneously after 650 cal A.D, but with different techniques and purposes. Open plaza was covered by mud plaster and surrounded by four possible elite residential houses, with easy access from outside of plaza, that is, probably functioned as gathering place. In contrast, the plaza with restricted access was constructed as part of Acropolis with tons of adobes and invisible from outside of the Acropolis. There are rich ritual evidence in this plaza, indicate that the restricted plaza was used for exclusive elite ritual.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)   •
• SAA 2021: General Sessions

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 32184