Driving south towards Jipijapa [pronounced delightfully as “hippie-happa”], one passes La Pila.

This small village has found a unique niche in the country’s economy as makers of cunning archaeological counterfeits of pre-Columbian ceramics. With growing interest in the archaeological sites in the area, village craftsmen started making so-called “antiques” but are now better-known for honest reproductions, though there are said to be workshops that still specialize in fakes. Stands selling figurines, decorated pottery and erotic sculptures, as well as weavings and wickerwork, are set up along the road to catch the eyes of passing motorists.

|Article contributed by Dominic Hamilton|||