Four Keys to El Salvador

244 Pages·1983·8.101 MB·English

by  Lilly de Jongh Osborne

FOUR KEYS TO
EL S A L V A D O R
Lilly de Jongh Osborne
GREENWOOD PRESS, PUBLISHERS
WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Ostorne, Lilly de Jongh.
Four keys to El Salvador.
Reprint. Originally published: New York : Fur.k &
Wagnalls, 1956.
Bibliography: p.
Includes index.
1. El Salvador. I. Title.
Fll*C3.67 1963 972.61* 63-1506
ISBN O-313-229Ó8-6 (lib. bdg.)
© 1956 by Funk & Wagnalls Company
Reprinted with the permission of Harper & Row Publishers, Inc.
Reprinted in 1983 by Greenwood Press
A division of Congressional Information Service, Inc.
88 Post Road West, Westport, Connecticut 06881
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
PREFACE
In the following pages I have tried to present some of the
many interesting things that can be told about El Salvador:
its past, its present, and its most promising future.
Though much has been written about El Salvador in the
Spanish language, so far there has been almost nothing in
English about this remarkable country. I owe much to those
well-informed writers in Spanish for that information I could
not personally gather during my nine years in the country.
It is difficult, in the compass of this book, to discuss exten­
sively the ancient Indian sites of this enchanting land. And
it has been equally hard to do justice to the many outstand­
ing writers, artists, musicians, and scholars of the El Salvador
of today: all merit so much more than the passing word I
have found it possible to offer them here. However I must
gratefully mention Anibal Salazar, for it is he who took so
many of the pictures that appear in this book. I wish also to
express my gratitude to TACA, the Salvadorean airline, and
to Junta Nacional de Turismo (the National Tourist Board)
for their help in obtaining so many excellent illustrations.
Lilly de Jongh Osborne
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To my friends,
the people of El Salvador
CONTENTS
Preface V
INTRO D UCTIO N
I Cuzcatlán—El Salvador ii
PRE-COLUMBIAN ERA
II T he Indian Ancestors 7
The Maya Indians
The Lenca Indians
Mexican Migrations
Early Artifacts
COLONIAL ERA
III T he Conquest !9
IV San Salvador 24
State and City
Colonial Life
INDEPENDENCE
V T he Struggle for Independence 33
VI Evolution and Revolution 39
VII T he Union of Central America 47
MODERN EL SALVADOR
VIII El Salvador 53
Government
VÜ
CONTENTS
Political Divisions
Chiefs of State and Presidents since 1821
The National Flag and Coat of Arms
Language
Religion
Climate
Education
Charities, Hospitals
Holidays
Magazines, Newspapers
Communication
T ransportation
Sports and Recreation
T he Salvadorean People 68
Present-day Indians 72
The Indian Population
The Negroid Admixture
Indian Life
Costumes and Crafts 78
Costumes
Textiles
Dyeing
Fiber Craft
Mats
Hats
Baskets
Ceramics
Gourds
Minor Crafts
Trade Routes
Dances
Dances and Costumes
Indian Music
CONTENTS IX
XIII T he Arts 107
Literature
Painting
Music and Theater
XIV Economic Outlook 111
Banking and Finance
Historical Data
Weights and Measures
XV Agriculture and Industry n 7
Cultivated Crops
Balsam
Industries
XVI Flora and Fauna 125
Medicinal Plants
Fruits
Trees
Birds
Mammals
Lepidoptera
Aquatic and Other Life
XVII T he Landscape of El Salvador 137
Bays
Rivers
Lakes
Popular Resorts and Thermal Springs
Mountains and Volcanoes
XVIII Archaeological Sites, Mines, and Caves 147
Archaeological Sites
Mines
Interesting Caves
XIX T he Capital, San Salvador 152
Parks
Monuments
X CONTENTS
Churches
Clubs
Sport Clubs
Archives, Public Library, and Museum
Other Places of Interest
Villages Near the City
xx T owns and Villages 170
Bibliography 209
Index 213
Illustrations at page 84 and page 148.