End of August 2014, I went to visit a friend posted in El Salvador with JICA (Japan's overseas volunteer program). Since I was there, I figured I'd sightsee — and decided to visit ruins. It was my first time in El Salvador, and honestly I didn't know much about its archaeological sites either.
Joya de Cerén — The "Pompeii of Central America"
First stop was Joya de Cerén. A Maya village registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
About 1,400 years ago the nearby Loma Caldera volcano erupted. The ash buried the village instantly, leaving houses, food, and household tools entombed exactly as they were. No human remains have been found, suggesting the residents had time to evacuate before the eruption. Because of this preservation, it's called "the Pompeii of Central America."
The excavated houses are protected by roof structures, and you can walk inside to see them. Stone-and-mud walls, the remains of hearths, ceramic vessels that likely held food — a 1,400-year-old kitchen. The local guide warned me there wasn't much to "explain," but seeing it in person had a totally different weight to it.
Tazumal Ruins
Next was Tazumal. The largest Maya site in El Salvador, in the town of Chalchuapa.
The main pyramid stands about 24 meters tall. It's well-known enough to appear in El Salvador's school textbooks, but Japanese travelers are apparently rare — locals struck up conversation and we took photos together.
It started raining. I hadn't brought rain gear, so I bought a poncho on the spot and stood in front of the ruins in green plastic. Ruins, rain, green poncho — somehow a very Central American photo.
Casa Blanca Archaeological Park
Not far from Tazumal is Casa Blanca. Less famous than Tazumal, but a well-maintained archaeological park, with grass-covered mound-pyramids dotted across a lawn.
I didn't know El Salvador had ruins until I went. Joya de Cerén is a World Heritage site, but you barely hear about it in Japan. Made me feel the depth of Central America all over again.