Yarumela facts for kids
Yarumela, also called El Chilcal, was an important ancient city in Honduras. It was built by the ancestors of the Lenca people. This city existed from about 1000 BC to AD 200. During its most successful time, Yarumela was a busy trading hub. People traded valuable goods there.
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Discovering Ancient Yarumela
Yarumela is also known by other names like Hiarumela or Ilarumela. It was a settlement of the Lenca people. The Lenca are an native group from Honduras and El Salvador. Yarumela was active during the Middle Formative period. This time was from about 900 BC to 300 BC.
The Yarumela area was very large, covering about 16,000 square kilometers. It was near other ancient sites. These included La Venta, Los Naranjos, Lo de Vaca, and Playa de los Muertos.
What Made Yarumela Special?
Yarumela was located about 60 kilometers south of Los Naranjos. Archaeologists found many clues there. These clues showed that Yarumela was a powerful center. It was especially focused on trading valuable items.
Like Los Naranjos, Yarumela was naturally protected. The Humuya River protected its eastern side. This river was a branch of the Ulua River. On the western side, a large ditch built by people offered protection.
Archaeologists believe Yarumela was a rich trading center. They found many large mounds, which were once buildings. They also found many interesting objects. These included shells, jadeite, and obsidian pieces. They also found unique pottery. All these things showed how much trade happened there.
The Story of Yarumela
Studies show that Yarumela was founded around 1000 BC. This was during the Pre-Classic period in Mesoamerica. The city was built by the ancestors of the Lenca culture. The settlement of El Chilcal de Yarumela covered about 30 hectares. This is about 74 acres.
Its location in the Comayagua Valley was perfect. It was an important path between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. This is why so many ornamental shells were found there. These shells came from both coastlines. Also, jade from Guatemala and other exotic items were found. This tells us Yarumela was a major trade hub. It connected Mesoamerica with other regions.
Over time, Yarumela grew very rich and important. Around 400 BC, it became the capital of a chiefdom. This was called Señorío de Yaruma. Different tribes from the Comayagua Valley joined together. By the end of the Pre-Classic period, about 6,400 people lived there.
Yarumela became a diverse city. New people moved there to sell their goods. By the start of the Classic period, it was the most populated city in what is now Honduras.
Most people in Yarumela were merchants. They had a busy city life. But we don't know much about their rulers. The people of Yaruma did not leave written records.
Later, the city started to decline. This happened even though it had many people. New important trade centers appeared. There were also conflicts between different groups. Bad harvests also played a part. The final blow was a volcano eruption. The San Miguel Volcano erupted. Its ashes reached the Comayagua Valley. After this, experts believe people started to leave. Eventually, the city was completely abandoned.
Amazing Structures of Yarumela
Yarumela has many large mounds. The biggest one is called Structure 101, or "El Cerrito". It is about 19 meters (62 feet) tall. This was the main mound in the center of the site. Archaeologists believe it could be seen from almost anywhere in the valley.
El Cerrito is a main attraction at Yarumela. There is also another large mound. A small step pyramid has been rebuilt near the river. It is opposite the large mounds.
Bringing the Ancient Site Back to Life
On April 11, 2019, an effort began to restore Yarumela. The mayor of Yarumela, the Honduran Institute of Anthropology and History, and the police helped. They restored Structure 102. They also improved a large part of the site. Now, there are signs with information about the history of the place.
Today, Yarumela is open to everyone. People from Honduras and other countries can visit.
See also
In Spanish: Yarumela para niños
