Important to archaeologists, and of real interest to archaeology buffs, Izapa flourished from approximately 200 BC to AD 200. Its carving style shows descendants of Olmec deities with their upper lips unnaturally lengthened. Some Maya monuments in Guatemala are similar, and Izapa is considered an important ‘bridge’ between the Olmecs and the Maya. There were 91 known stele-and-altar pairings here - you can see some well-preserved examples in the Tapachula museum.
