El Mesak
is an Early Preclassic site located east from Champerico,
Retalhuleu, in a rich
mangrove and wetland area (Manchón-Guamuchal
natural reserve), 1 Km from the
Pacific Ocean. The site shows occupation at least since 1600 BC,
with the early Barra, Locona and Ocós, pottery styles, and has more
than 50 mounds, surrounding a lagoon, The largest mound is some
7 m. and probably the earliest ceremonial structure in the area
dated ca 1,200 BC. This site was dedicated to the Salt production
and was close related with
La Blanca to
the east, as well as other minor sites, forming the first cluster of
complex culture in Mesoamerica. It was investigated in 1987-8
by the IDAEH and the del Valle de Guatemala and
Vanderbilt Universities. The domestic dumpsters revealed a mix
of subsistence agriculture, mainly Maize, and a wide variety
of fauna, including shells, fish, reptiles such as Iguana, Turtles
and Caimans, and mammals. The agriculture, being a minor
source of food.
Around 900 BC, the Ceramics is
mainly
Olmec style, and is
found in common peoples' houses, showing a slow progression from
earlier styles, this is interpreted by several archaeologist as a
complex multi-directional process, specially
in
the Middle Preclassic, (Demarest 1989; Grove 1981, 1989; Sharer
1989). It has been proposed that the Middle Preclassic, in
Mesoamerica, was a period of independent and parallel kingships
represented by sites such as
Nakbé, La
Venta,
Monte Alto,
Kaminal Juyú,
La Blanca,
Chiquihuitán,
Chalchuapa, Itzapa,
Tak'alik A'baj,
and others, and that, El Mesak functioned as a commerce port in the
Pacific routes, to and from the
Jade
and
Obsidian,
sources in the Motagua valley, using several rivers, the Obsidian
found here is mainly from El Chayal, Ixtepeque and surprisingly, in
less amounts from the much closer Tajumulco sources. The social
evolution was a local process, and the so called Olmec influence",
only means that the locals, had reached a complexity level and the
elites had to use exotic designs and styles, to mark social ranks.
Thus, the Olmec style pottery and sculpture reflex not a
cause, but an effect in the social evolution (Demarest 1989).
It has to be remarked that, in this complex model of the Early and
Middle Pre Classic, the Olmec civilization never existed as an
unified entity. More likely, very distinct a non related
Elites after 1100-1000 BC, started to share some elements of a
common symbolic system. Likewise, these cultures were independent in
its political, ceramics, ethnicity and subsistence systems.
(Demarest 1989). El Mesak probably participated in a
symbolic Pan-Mesoamerican system generally known as "Olmec" during
the Late early and Middle Preclassic.
Diffusion of Pottery and Sculpture
Techniques, in Mesoamerica during The Early Preclassic.
