Antigua
Before the arrival of the Spaniars in 1524, there was a Mayan city known as "Antigua". Its inhabitants were known to be warriors and traders. When somebody in Guatemala hears about Antigua, the first thought that comes to mind is our famous colonial city and it is never related with a Mayan city. Sebastien Perrot-Minnot, an archeologist form the Sorbona University explains that a thousand years before the Christina Era, the valley of the actual city of Antigua was already inhabited.
In the few studies of the area, there have been found pieces and the remains of structures that date back to several centures before Antigua Guatemala’s era. Perrot-Minnot, has investigated several sites like El Portal, Los Venados, La Chacra, Carmona, Pompeya y Terrenos which are in the sorrounding areas of Antigua Guatemala. One of the most interesting sites is El Portal, which is located three kilometers west of Antigua Guatemala and where there have been found several sculptures, vases and clues to an Acropolis. This archeologist explains that posibly this was a great fortress with the chore of protecting the commercial routes between Kaminal Juyu and other towns in Escuintla and the Highlands of Guatemala. The inhabitants of this city were warriors but also traders. There have been found pieces from Antigua in the South of Guatemala. Archeologist think that it is very important to investigate this place so that we can get to know more about the inhabitants of the area several centuries before. In Antigua, there have been found several sculptures almost a meter tall representing snakes, structures and platforms.
