Takalik Abaj
Takalik Abaj was continuously occupied for almost two thousand years. This photo shows the access stairway to Terrace 3, dating to the Late Preclassic.
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 Location within Mesoamerica
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| Location | El Asintal, Retalhuleu Department, Guatemala |
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| Region | Retalhuleu Department |
| Coordinates | 14°38′10.50″N 91°44′0.14″W / 14.6362500°N 91.7333722°W |
| History | |
| Founded | Middle Preclassic |
| Cultures | Olmec, Maya |
| Events | Conquered by: Teotihuacan, K'iche' |
| Site notes | |
| Archaeologists | Miguel Orrego Corzo; Marion Popenoe de Hatch; Christa Schieber de Lavarreda; Claudia Wolley Schwarz |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural styles | Olmec, Early Maya |
| Responsible body: Ministerio de Cultura y Deportes / Proyecto Nacional Tak'alik Ab'aj | |
Tak'alik Ab'aj (/tɑːkəˈliːk əˈbɑː/; Mayan pronunciation: [takˀaˈlik aˀ'ɓaχ]; Spanish: [takaˈlik aˈβax]) is a pre-Columbian archaeological site in Guatemala. It was formerly known as Abaj Takalik; its ancient name may have been Kooja. It is one of several Mesoamerican sites with both Olmec and Maya features. The site flourished in the Preclassic and Classic periods, from the 9th century BC through to at least the 10th century AD, and was an important centre of commerce, trading with Kaminaljuyu and Chocolá. Investigations have revealed that it is one of the largest sites with sculptured monuments on the Pacific coastal plain. Olmec-style sculptures include a possible colossal head, petroglyphs and others. The site has one of the greatest concentrations of Olmec-style sculpture outside of the Gulf of Mexico.
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Wikipedia