Editing History of Ecuador (section)

====The Manteños====
The [[Manteño]]s were the last of the pre-Columbian cultures in the coastal region existing between 600 and 1534. They were the first to witness the arrival of Spanish ships sailing in the surrounding Pacific Ocean. According to archaeological evidence and Spanish chronicles the civilization existed from [[Bahía de Caráquez]] to Cerro de Hojas in the south. 
They were excellent weavers, produced textiles, articles of gold, silver spondylus shells and mother of pearl. The manteños mastered the seas and created an extensive trade routes as far as Chile to the south and Western Mexico to the north.<ref>James A. Zeidler of Colorado State University</ref> The center of the culture was in the area of [[Manta, Ecuador|Manta]] which was named in their honor.