# Skidmore 2006: The Cascajal Block: The Earliest Precolumbian Writing

> Joel Skidmore, 2006. 10 records on Mysteries Department cite it. Free secondary account of the find circumstances and the 2006 arguments.

Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CYBBJDM1BJG/the-cascajal-block-the-earliest-precolumbian-writing  
Publisher: Mysteries Department  
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[Sources](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources)[Cascajal block and Isthmian writing](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block)Skidmore 2006

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# The Cascajal Block: The Earliest Precolumbian Writing

Joel Skidmore, 2006. _Mesoweb Reports, Precolumbia Mesoweb Press_.

A summary of the Science paper with its figures: the April 1999 call from Jáltipan officials to INAH, the gravel quarry at the El Cascajal mounds in the ejido of Lomas de Tacamichapa, the mixed debris (about 75 per cent Formative, mostly San Lorenzo phase, a few Palangana, 25 per cent Terminal Classic), the weathering evidence, and Houston's drawings of the 62 signs and the 28-sign signary.

**Cascajal block and Isthmian writing** ReportChecked against the original0

## What it's used for here

Free secondary account of the find circumstances and the 2006 arguments.

## Cited by on this site 10 records

[The Cascajal block](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/artifacts/ART0CYBC9C07Q02/the-cascajal-block)

ART

[A few Palangana sherds (800 to 400 BC) were in the debris.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/evidence/EVD0CYBC4046J7K/a-few-palangana-sherds-800-to-400-bc-were-in-the-debris)

Evidence

EVD

[Nearly all the Formative sherds in the debris are San Lorenzo phase.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/evidence/EVD0CYBC30W72ZQ/nearly-all-the-formative-sherds-in-the-debris-are-san)

Evidence

EVD

[Pitting over incisions and mineralisation in the lines indicate ancient surface alteration; confirmed by…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/evidence/EVD0CYBC1ST768A/pitting-over-incisions-and-mineralisation-in-the-lines)

Evidence

EVD

[The motifs are Olmec and cannot be Terminal Classic.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/evidence/EVD0CYBC38P06KP/the-motifs-are-olmec-and-cannot-be-terminal-classic)

Evidence

EVD

[Jáltipan officials call in INAH inspectors to the quarry finds](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/events/EVT0CYBBW6477NR/jaltipan-officials-call-in-inah-inspectors-to-the-quarry)

EVT

[The Cascajal block and Isthmian writing](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block)

The mystery article

MYS

[Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/organisations/ORG0CYBBTZ247X2/instituto-nacional-de-antropologia-e-historia-inah)

ORG

[Does the block date to the San Lorenzo phase, about 900 BC?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/questions/QST0CYBBXWT7R64/does-the-block-date-to-the-san-lorenzo-phase-about-900-bc)

Question

QST

[Is the block an ancient Olmec object?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/cascajal-block/questions/QST0CYBBXN038ZM/is-the-block-an-ancient-olmec-object)

Question

QST

## Cite it

```
Skidmore, J. (2006). The Cascajal Block: The Earliest Precolumbian Writing. Mesoweb Reports, Precolumbia Mesoweb Press. https://www.mesoweb.org/reports/Cascajal.pdf
```

[Read it free at mesoweb.org](https://www.mesoweb.org/reports/Cascajal.pdf)

Key

**SRC** 0CYBBJDM1BJG

Kind

Report

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Kept

26 Oct 2026, for editors

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The record

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