Vega de la Peña Archaeological Site

1998 World Monuments Watch

Evidence of a significant ancient urban settlement at Vega de la Peña was first revealed by archaeologists in 1926, though little remained known about the site until the early 1990s. When the Bobos River changed course in 1995, though, it damaged the structures and carried away with it most of the decorative elements on the “Building of the Dentils,” the site's large, freestanding, pyramidal edifice. What remains of the city, besides the Dentils, is a ball court with sculpted impressions of quetzal wings, central plaza, palace, and other structures of unknown function. The National Institute of Anthropology and History envisions an innovative plan to integrate the cultural and natural attributes of the site. The remains of Vega de la Peña would be preserved, further archaeological investigation would take place, and a protected ecological reserve around the site would be created. The first tasks in realizing these goals are to stabilize the buildings and protect them from the elements and vandals, and to register all excavated remains and surrounding flora.

Since the Watch

Erosion control measures, mostly through the installation of gabions (rubble-filled metal cages), have been taking place since 1998. January 2011