Seated figure,

800 BCE–200 CE

Highland valleys above the Pacific coast of present-day El Salvador were once home to a culture known as Chalchuapa, named after the primary colonial city in the area. Early art from the region evinces strong connections to groups further north, including the Soconusco region of Guatemala and Chiapas, Mexico, as well as the Gulf Coast Olmec. Monumental sculpture, ceramics, and carved writings from Chalchuapa also bear strong similarities to the burgeoning Maya civilizations of the Guatemala highlands, particularly to the site of Kaminaljuyu. Figurines such as the example displayed here can be understood as transitional between the early figurine styles of the Olmec and those of the Maya; however, the expressivity and attention to physiognomy are signature interests of Chalchuapa artists.