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Casablanca is a Pre-Columbian Mayan archeological site in the department of Santa Ana, El Salvador, some 60 kilometers from the capital, San Salvador. Casablanca is an archeological site that consists of 6 pyramids on a stone base, which have a unique circular shape which makes them extremely rare in El Salvador and Meso America.

History

Casablanca is what's left of a very large preclassic and classic period Mayan site. Casablanca has a museum that exhibits 4 carved stones of more than a meter high. Casablanca site includes a series of ruins that were the scene of important and sophisticated Mayan establishments from around 100-1200AD; the Mayan constructed the site. The site has also a shop of Indigo where visitors can participate in creating their own printing model. Casa Blanca is a site considered as a ceremonial center with great importance in the zone. Casablanca was occupied in the pre-classic, classic, and post classic period; from the years 1500 B.C. until the immediate arrival of the Spaniards. The ruins of Casablanca are considered the most important and best preserved in the country. The artifacts found at Casablanca provide evidence of ancient and active trading post for obsidian, ceramic, and cacao between places as far away as Panama and Mexico. The excavated ruins are part of an area covering 10 sq km (4 sq mi), but have only been partially excavated.

Location

Casa Blanca is located on the northern outskirts of Chalchuapa, continuing through the highway that drives toward the Border of Chinamas. this zone is within the archaeological area of Chalchuapa, whose approximate area is of 10 km² and where also archaeological sites such as Pampe, Tazumal, Trapiche and Las Victorias are located. This Archeological site is located next to the town’s cemetery.

Contributions

In 1995 Japanese archaeologists retook the archaeological site of Casablanca in Chalchuapa where various artifacts were discovered. Due to the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Archeological Project of El Salvador started its excavations in the Trinchera 4N of Casablanca during the month of September of 2000. Casablanca as of today has had four season of excavation, all four under the direction of [[Kuniaki Ohi. The first one took place September 17 to October 8, 2000; the second, February 10 to March 17, 2001; the third, September 10 to October 6, 2001; and the fourth, February 8 to March 8, 2002. The archaeological park Casablanca was inaugurated in 2002.