Nicaragua

Acahualinca is a site in Managua on the shore of Lake Managua that is famous for several series of human and animal footprints in wet ash.  These are dated to the Archaic period.

Aguas Buenas is located in the Chontales region of central Nicaragua, on the east side of Lake Cocibolca, and features an extensive mound complex.

Ayala was part of Silvia Salgado's survey area, and is located near the base of the Mombacho volcano south of Granada. It was the largest site in the region during the Bagaces period and remained important throughout the sequence.

Chiquilistagua is an archaeological site south and west of the modern city of Managua.  The site consists of decentralized residential structures, sheet midden deposits on the slopes of hills, and a central core that has been heavily impacted by urban development.  Current research suggests the site was occupied as early as 450 AD.  There is evidence of medium distance trade of obsidian and participation in regional ceramic exchange networks.

Ciudad Sandino is located on the northwestern edge of Managua.  Rescue excavations have been conducted on several occasions, often recovering mortuary remains.  In 2012, Bosco Moroney excavated numerous Sapoa period burials, and a report is available in the Bibliography

El Rayo is located on the Asese Peninsula south of the city of Granada. Excavations by the University of Calgary have identified several loci at the site relating to Bagaces and Sapoa period components.  Both cemetery and civic-ceremonial areas have been sampled.

Isla de Muerto is famous for its elaborate petroglyphs. It is located near Zapatera Island in Lake Cocibolca.

La Arenera is located on the outskirts of Managua.  It derives its name from a thick deposit of volcanic sand, the result of an eruption that covered a Tempisque period site.  Rescue survey and excavation of the site identified several burnt floors, presumably destroyed by the eruption, as well as ceramics and lithic materials.

Las Delicias is an important site located within Managua and impacted by urban development.  Rescue archaeology directed by Bosco Moroney and Oscar Pavon recovered numerous human skeletons and associated grave goods.  Two radiocarbon dates indicate that the site dated to the late Tempisque period.

Leon Viejo was the original Spanish capital of Nicaragua, but it was abandoned due to volcanic and tectonic activities. It is located near modern Leon, near the shore of Lake Xolotl (also known as Lake Managua). Leon Viejo has been partially excavated and restored as a World Heritage site.

Los Martinez, El Pantanal, Managua is a sector of Managua where extensive rescue excavations took place in 2010, uncovering important remains relating to the Tempisque and Sapoa periods. A report of the excavations, by Jorge Zambrana, can be found in the Bibliography.

Quezalguaque

San Cristobal was located just east of the Managua airport, and was investigated by Susan Wyss in the 1980s. It featured numerous mounds, and burials with shoe-pot urns indicating a Sapoa/Ometepe date.

Santa Isabel is located on the shore of Lake Nicaragua/Cocibolca north of the modern town of San Jorge.  It was first identified and sampled by Willey and Norweb, and was surveyed by Niemel.  From 2000 to 2005 it was the site of extensive excavations by a team from the University of Calgary, that shovel tested the site core and excavated at five residential mounds.  The site dates to the Sapoa period.

Sonzapote is located on Zapatera Island, and is famous for its near life-sized stone statues that often represent standing or seated humans with elaborate headdresses. It was first explored and published by Carl Bovallius in the late 19th century, and has been the focus of several art historical interpretations. Excavations in 2013 produced a high resolution map of the many mounds and extant stone monuments. It also provided diagnostic ceramics to date the site construction to the late Tempisque period (ca. 1-300 CE), but with subsequent cultural deposits probably relating to continued ceremonial significance as a mortuary site.

Tepetate is probably the ancient city of Xalteva, described in ethnohistoric accounts as being a capital of the Chorotega at the time of European contact.  It is located on the northern edge of modern Granada, but unfortunately modern development has almost completely destroyed pre-Columbian resources.  An excavation in 2008 by the University of Calgary and archaeology students from the Univesidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua exposed architectural remains of one of the last remaining mounds, and also discovered several burial clusters. 

Ticuantepe is located between Managua and Masaya. During a civic construction project elaborate burials were discovered of adult individuals buried on a 'bed' of groundstone slabs. Additional burials were also associated.

Veracruz de Zapotal was the site of a prehistoric mammal discovery in a deep irrigation well. It is located near Rivas.