The site core of El Chal consists of an acropolis and three ceremonial plazas in which the majority of sculpted monuments were found, the East Plaza, West Plaza and Northeast Plaza. In the rain season it also fills to a depth of . Residential structures were concentrated in the area surrounding the ceremonial centre, especially on the north and west sides near to the reservoir. Central El Chal contains 25 groups, Arrepentimiento contains 40 groups, Panorama contains 53 groups and Municipal contains 18 groups. Panorama was an area of
chert production while Municipal is associated with the ritual complex of the city. The upper part of the hill was levelled into three wide terraces with an average area of .
Terraces Terrace 1 is the highest terrace in the acropolis. It supports three small patios labelled as Patios A, B and C. Structure 5 is the largest, on the west side of Patio A. The upper flight descended seven steps to a small room measuring . The lower section of the stairway measured long, extending into the plaza at its lower end. A low platform was excavated in the extreme southwestern corner of the Lower Terrace, although most of the ceramic finds were dated to the Terminal Classic, some pieces dating to the Late Preclassic were also found.
Terrace 3 is located on the southwest side of the acropolis at the same height as Terrace 2. It supports one residential patio group, Patio F, formed by five structures. Evidence of this is the fact that the structures in the group were divided into multiple rooms with internal benches, The stone blocks used in construction measured approximately on each side with a finely dressed front face, tapering towards the back in order to grip the structural fill. Excavations identified 3 construction phases in Patio A, with the first two dating to the Late Classic and the final phase dating to the Terminal Classic.
Terrace 1 Structure 1 is on the north side of Patio A. It consists of a long platform access via a wide stairway on the south side. The stairway had three steps, each with a tread of and a riser measuring . The superstructure of the building possessed a C-shaped bench. It was a single level platform measuring by high.
Terrace 1 Structure 3 is on the east side of Patio A and separates it from Patio B. The stairway measured wide and was divided into two by a block. The earliest version of the building measured . It supported three rooms with benches, the combined width of the rooms was by . It consists of a single platform that is the highest in the entire acropolis. Structure 5 was joined to Structures 1 and 4 since its earliest phase of construction. It is an enclosed courtyard with an area of . It measured and stood high.
Terrace 1 Structure 8 is on the north side of Patio B. It is to the northwest of Patio A and is slightly lower than it. Patio C is bordered by 2 structures, on the north and west sides, with the West Structure being the largest. Patio C had 2 construction phases and served an administrative function directly associated with the buildings of Patio A. The rear room of the structure contained a bench, or throne, that measured and stood high. The
North Structure was a low platform that was covered with stucco and painted red.
Patio D Terrace 2 Structure 1 is on the north side of Patio D. It is a low rectangular platform measuring high. It was a tall pyramidal platform that did not possess a summit superstructure. The stairway projected into the patio from the pyramid. A burial cist was found near the front of the pyramid, it was labelled as Burial 264 and was dated to the Late Classic. The platform had five layers of stucco flooring. Structure 3 does not face onto Patio D but rather is part of the Terminal Classic construction activity that extended Terrace 2 with the addition of Patio G. The structure measured from east to west. The structure is believed to have been built in a single burst of activity in the Terminal Classic.
Patio F Patio F is on a terrace at the same level as Patios D and E. The patio is a closed courtyard formed by 5 structures on the west and south sides, while the other two sides are formed by the retaining walls of Patios A and C.
Structure 1 measures north-south by east-west and was built upon the same platform that supports Structure 2.
Structure 4 was located on the south side of Patio F. Ceramics from the structure were dated to the Terminal Classic. Six stelae and three altars were found in the East Plaza. The plaza had two construction phases, the first dated to the Late Classic and the second to the Terminal Classic. It measured north-south by east-west. The bench was high. A stairway climbs the west side of the building. It measures . Lithic artefacts included a piece of an obsidian knife.
West Plaza Structure 1 is on the north side of the West Plaza, near the northwest corner. The structure faces southwards onto the plaza and has a stairway that measures climbing the front of the building. The structure has two phases of construction, the earliest of which dates to the Late Classic.
West Plaza Structure 2 is on the north side of the West Plaza. It is the only building on the West Plaza that did not possess a bench upon the summit. It is a rectangular building with a wide stairway climbing from the west. After its final construction phase the platform stood high.
Structure 4 West Plaza Structure 4 is on the west side of the West Plaza and is the tallest structure at El Chal. The lowest section measured high with a wide platform between its upper edge and the beginning of the second section. The stairway has not been positively identified but is believed to be a wide sunken stairway on the east side. These rooms were completely sealed, and in some cases destroyed, by a layer of compact white soil during the Terminal Classic. Stucco fragments with traces of pigment indicate that the rooms were once painted. Only one doorjamb and a portion of wall belonging to a rear bench were found during excavations. It was the only room not to have been sealed during the Terminal Classic and due to this is in a poor state of preservation. It was extremely well preserved, including the rear wall of the bench and the room was used as a model for investigations of the other rooms in Structure 4.
Ballcourt The
Ballcourt is on the north side of the West Plaza. Sculpted blocks of stone were found on the benches of both side structures and once decorated the aprons of the ballcourt. The four surviving blocks bear geometric designs and parts of sculpted figures deity masks. The Northeast Plaza is enclosed by four structures of similar size and form and was accessed from the northeast corner. The walls were thick and their remains stand to a height of . Three construction levels have been identified within the Northwest Plaza, all of them date to the Late Classic.
Northwest Plaza Structure 1 has a rectangular base measuring east-west by north-south and standing high. The lowest level of the platform body has an inclining
talud wall. The stairways was built during the earliest construction phase of the plaza, rising from the lowest plaza level. The small blocks used in this extension contrast with the large, finely dressed blocks used in the main structure.
Northwest Plaza Structure 2 is a high pyramid on the west side of the plaza. Its base measures . The pyramid has also been damaged by a looters' pit on the west side of the structure. Architectural detail has been largely obliterated by the pyramid's poor state of preservation, but inset corners have been identified on the north and south sides.
Group 15 Structure 2 is a rectangular platform with a projecting stairway. It measures with a projecting stairway that measures . It was severely damaged when a modern street was laid out, cutting through its north side. A small
pyrite disc was found near the front wall. Groups 4 to 6, 13 to 17, 20 to 24, 26 and 52 all date to the Late and Terminal Classic. Late Preclassic ceramics were recovered from Group 23. Part of this sector actually falls within the municipality of
Santa Ana. The E-Group was first built in the Late Preclassic Period, it was lightly occupied during the Early Classic and was then expanded with the addition of two structures in the Late Classic. The
East Platform of the E-Group has produced ceramics dating to the Late Preclassic, Early Classic and Late Classic. The East Platform was built from limestone blocks and was accessed via a stairway at the rear of the building that projected . This stairway climbed a wide projection from the rear of the building. The platform has a total height of . The
West Pyramid of the E-Group produced ceramic evidence dating the Late Preclassic, Early Classic and Late Classic. It contains about 40 groups of structures concentrated upon karstic hills, with lesser occupation in low-lying areas. Of the ceramic fragments recovered from Panorama Sector, 374 pieces have been dated to the Late Classic, representing 62% of the total ceramics found in the sector.
Group 4 is located west of Group 1. It consists of three structures arranged around a courtyard that is open on the south side. The group has been looted, recovered ceramics date to the Late and Terminal Classic.
Group 15B is situated on the south side of the same artificial platform that supports Groups 15A and 15C. Various monuments are broken into fragments. The figure is accompanied by a vertical hieroglyphic panel containing a
calendrical date. The text is badly eroded but the numbers 10 and 13 can be read. The stela was resting upon the last construction phase of the plaza. This fragment measured high by wide and was thick. The butt of this stela was found in its original location, although the shaft has broken and fallen backwards. All of these stelae fragments are situated in the southern half of the East Plaza, with Stela 6 to the east and Stela 9 to the west. Stela 11 has fallen and is lying on its back. It depicts three seated prisoners, the central figure is facing to the left while the other two are facing inwards towards him. Hieroglyphic texts are carved underneath the prisoners and upon the sides of the altar. The altar is plain, without sculpted figures or text and rests upon the last construction phase of the plaza.
Burial 68 was found in the centre of the Group 18 plaza. Ceramics associated with the burial have been dated to the Middle Preclassic Period. It consists of the burial of a seated infant together with a newborn. ==Notes==