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The Mayan-Olmecan Encounter

Property names are listed in the language in which they have been submitted by the State Party.

Guatemala (Latin America and the Caribbean)

Date of Submission: 23/09/2002
Criteria:
Category: Mixed
Submission prepared by:
Ministry of Culture and Sports
Coordinates:
It occupies the whole Southwest area of the Republic of Guatemala, in the Municipality of The Asintal, Department of Retalhuleu. Abaj Takalik is the maximum representative of this route and it is inside of the Santa Margarita Property
Ref.: 1757

Description

The place has four architectural groups, with more than 70 buildings on nine artificial terraces. Also, several dozens of sculpted and flat monuments were registered. Abaj Takalik was the first archaeological place of Mesoamérica where was discovered such a magnitude of sculptures, importance that resides not only in the quantity, but also in the representativeness of features of the Olmecan and Mayan art.