Cerro Jaboncillo Archaeological Site

Our tour today begins with a drive along Manta’s “malecón” or promenade. Our guide enlightens us on the history of this area, which was home to pre-Columbian peoples such as the Valdivia culture, whose fragments of pottery are the oldest found anywhere in South America.

The archaeological site of Cerro Jaboncillo is unique because it allows observation of a distinct and complex society that was established in the area between 900 and 1500 AD. This developed society controlled large areas of Guayas and Manabi provinces in Ecuador. The Cancebí-Manteños acquired highly developed levels in their society practices and with their control of the sea extended their culture to the California Gulf, Mexico, Chile and Peru.

Visiting this place is an experience that mixes culture, tourism and nature. Located on the eastern slope of Cerro Jaboncillo, the area around the archaeological site features a variety of plants and animals that survive in a unique ecosystem that depends on water cycles, especially in the summer fog.