Joya de Ceren is an archaeological site in Western El Salvador. It was a Mayan village that was buried under tons of lava when the nearby San Salvador Volcano erupted in 600 AD. The site is often compared to Pompeii in Italy because of the remarkably well preserved state of the ruins that were encased in a protective layer of volcanic stone for centuries before being excavated by archaeologists. Joya de Cerén is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Understand

The ruins were discovered in 1976 when a bulldozer working on a government agricultural project cut a pathway through the site, unearthing buildings and artifacts.

The 1,400-year-old village is estimated to have had a population of about 200 when the volcano blew. Remarkably, not a single set of human remains were found at the site. Scientists believe that geological warning signs prior to the eruption gave the villagers time to escape, although there were signs that the people left in a hurry, leaving dinner on the table, etc.

Excavations were done in the late 1970s under the supervision of Anthropology Professor Payson Sheets of the University of Colorado. Sheets and his team abandoned the project when civil war broke out in the early 1980s, but excavations resumed in 1988. Only a portion of the site is open to the public, as of 2024.

Joya de Ceren is remarkable for preserving a common Maya village, giving anthropologists a view of how typical Mayan communities lived. Most Maya sites showcase tombs and palaces of the nobility or the temples of the religious elite. Joya de Ceren is the only significant site that focuses on common lives in a Mayan village.

Get in

Joya de Ceren is located 36 km northwest of the capital city of San Salvador. The most convenient way to get there for most tourists is to take a taxi or Uber all the way to the site (not usually very expensive), though it's more of an adventure to take the bus as far as you can and then only use a taxi for the "last mile" (or in this case, the last 10 km). A direct taxi will get you to Joya de Ceren in about 30 minutes. Taking a bus then a taxi will be about an hour and a half (hour on the bus, the rest putzing around finding a taxi then 10 minutes for the drive).

By bus

From San Salvador, take the Ruta 201 bus (Seisabus) toward Santa Ana and get off at Puente Seco (Cd. Arce). From there, you can take a taxi the last 10 minutes to Joya de Ceren.

Get around

Site map of Joya de Ceren

See

Structure 12

More than 20 structures have been documented and somewhat restored, along with gardens and other infrastructure. As seen in the site map, buildings and gardens were clustered by household. Areas of the map labeled "milpas" indicate fields where food was grown. Some of the highlights of the site include:

• Plaza: Open central courtyard area with households at its periphery.
• Structure 12: This is a religious ceremonial center. Rooms in this structure are thought to have been used by women for their own gender-specific rituals.
• Structure 10: This is thought to have been a community ceremonial center with many rooms, including areas for food preparation and other social functions.

Tamazcal at Structure 9

• Structure 9: This was a tamazcal, which is a type of steam bath or sauna that was common in Mesoamerican cultures. Water would have been poured over heated volcanic rocks to produce steam.
• Structure 1: Presumed to have served as a kitchen and support area for ceremonies held in structure 12.

Eat

Best options are in San Salvador, but there is one small local place about 100 meters from the archaeological park.

• 1 Restaurante Palbau, Joya de Ceren. Typical Salvadoran food: moros y cristianos (black beans and rice), grilled chicken, salads with marinated onions, etc.). Family friendly and super casual. 

Sleep

Lodging and camping are not available at the parque arquelogico.

A large selection of hotels are available in nearby San Salvador and Santa Tecla.

Go next

• El Boqueron National Park - San Salvador Volcano
• San Salvador
• Santa Tecla
• Los Volcanes National Park