By Geoffrey McCafferty, University of Calgary (mccaffer@ucalgary.ca)
Nicaragua is recognized as one of the poorest countries in Latin America, yet researchers from the University of Calgary are discovering unknown archaeological riches along the shore of Lake Nicaragua. Since 2000 I have been leading investigations into the pre-Columbian history of Pacific Nicaragua. These multi-national projects have now involved over 50 students, as well as researchers from Nicaragua and many other countries of Latin America. Results have significantly re-written the culture history of the region.
In summer 2008 we commenced another SSHRC funded program, moving north to the region around Granada, the colonial capital of Nicaragua. The archaeological site of Tepetate, on the northern edge of the city, has been identified as the ancient city of Xalteva, the center of a Chorotega chiefdom at the time of European contact in 1522. The Chorotega spoke a dialect of Oto-Manguean, a Mesoamerican language, and were part of historically documented waves of migration out of Mexico beginning about 900 CE (Figure 1). These migrations are a prominent part of the modern identity of Nicaraguans, and prompted my research interest in exploring the archaeology of Mesoamerican ethnicity in lower Central America.
Figure 1: Postclassic migrations to Pacific Nicaragua (map by Larry Steinbrenner)
The site of Tepetate has been swallowed up by modern urban sprawl, but we were fortunate to get permission to dig at the last remaining pre-Columbian mound from the site. This was a low residential mound, covering about 30 m in diameter (Figure 2). Intensive excavations recovered evidence of masonry architecture and a floor made of paving stones. A stone-lined, sub-floor tomb had unfortunately been looted (Figure 3). Artifacts indicate that the structure dated to the Sapoa period (900-1250 CE), precisely the time period of the Chorotega occupation of the region. In an adjacent field we discovered a pre-Columbian cemetery with two clusters of urn burials (Figure 4).
Figure 2: Initial excavations on Mound 1
Figure 3: Stone alignments from looted sub-floor tomb
These results complement previous investigations at the site of Santa Isabel, located about 100 km south along the lakeshore. Archaeological evidence is challenging the historical claims of Mesoamerican ethnicity, and instead points more to behavioral practices in line with the Chibchan culture of lower Central America and northern South America. With two years remaining of SSHRC funding the Granada Project will shift focus to the secondary center of El Rayo, located on the lakeshore at the base of the Mombacho volcano, where modern development has not impacted the archaeological resources. For more information on this research, see my web page at www.arky.ucalgary.ca/mccafferty/granada.
Figure 4: Crushed burial urns
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