Ancient Cities of Guatemala’s Pacific Coast

On Guatemala’s western Pacific coast, the region of Escuintla is home to many ancient cities, and for thousands of years it has been an important crossroads, drawing traders, migrants, and invaders. In this lecture, archaeologist Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos will present discoveries from three decades of research at the Classic-period cities of Montana and Cotzumalhuapa (250–900 C.E.), highlighting how people moved, interacted, and recorded their histories along the Pacific coast. The discovery of causeways, or raised roads, has revealed the size and organization of these cities, while refined dating methods have allowed researchers to trace their connections to other urban centers across Mesoamerica. Close study of Cotzumalhuapa’s monumental sculptures has further illuminated these networks through new readings of their intricate reliefs and hieroglyphic texts. Head to the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture to explore how archaeology is reshaping our understanding of Guatemala’s Pacific coast and its place in Mesoamerican history.

Presented by the Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology and the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture.

Photo of Monument 82 from El Baúl, Cotzumalguapa by Oswaldo Chinchilla Mazariegos