Tazumal is a Pre-Columbian Maya archeological site in Chalchuapa, El Salvador. Tazumal means, "place where the victims were burned," in Quiché. The structures date from the year 900. The ruins of Tazumal are considered the most important and best preserved in the country. The artifacts found at Tazumal provide evidence of ancient and active trade between Tazumal and places as far away as Panama and Mexico. The excavated ruins are part of an area covering 10 sq km (4 sq mi), much of it buried under the town. Archaeologists estimate that the first settlements in the area were around 5000 BC. The term Pre-Columbian is used to refer to the cultures of the New World in the era before significant European influence. ... The word Maya or maya can refer to: The Maya – a Native American people of southern Mexico and northern Central America the modern Maya people the pre-Columbian Maya civilization the Maya language Maya – a concept in Hindu/Vedic philosophy a state of misperception of reality the inherent force of... An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic), and which has been investigated using the discipline of archaeology. ... The Quiché language is a part of the Maya language family. ... Events Persian scientist, Rhazes, distinguished smallpox from measles in the course of his writings. ... (6th millennium BC – 5th millennium BC – 4th millennium BC – other millennia) Events 4713 BC – The epoch (origin) of the Julian Period described by Joseph Justus Scaliger occurred on January 1, the astronomical Julian day number zero. ...