▁the ▁Mes o amer ican ▁region ▁in ▁the ▁western ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁and ▁to ▁the ▁Ist h mo - Col omb ian ▁Area ▁in ▁the ▁eastern ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁where ▁a ▁my ri ad ▁of ▁ind igen ous ▁soci eties ▁have ▁lived ▁side ▁by ▁side ▁for ▁centuries ▁with ▁their ▁unique ▁cult ures ▁and ▁speaking ▁different ▁ind igen ous ▁languages ▁of ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁in ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁Classic ▁stage . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Len ca ▁people ▁are ▁an ▁ind igen ous ▁people ▁of ▁eastern ▁El ▁Salvador ▁where ▁population ▁today ▁is ▁estimated ▁at ▁about ▁ 3 7 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁Len ca ▁was ▁a ▁mat ri arch al ▁society ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁civil izations ▁to ▁develop ▁in ▁El ▁Salvador ▁and ▁were ▁the ▁first ▁major ▁civil ization ▁in ▁the ▁country . ▁The ▁pre - Con quest ▁Salvador an ▁Len ca ▁had ▁frequent ▁contact ▁with ▁various ▁May a ▁groups ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁other ▁ind igen ous ▁pe op les ▁of ▁Central ▁America . ▁The ▁origin ▁of ▁Len ca ▁populations ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁source ▁of ▁on going ▁debate ▁amongst ▁anth rop olog ists ▁and ▁histor ians . ▁Through out ▁the ▁regions ▁of ▁Len ca ▁occupation , ▁Len ca ▁pot tery ▁is ▁a ▁very ▁distinguish able ▁form ▁of ▁Pre - Col umb ian ▁art . ▁Hand craft ed ▁by ▁Len ca ▁women , ▁Len ca ▁pot tery ▁is ▁considered ▁an ▁eth nic ▁mark ing ▁of ▁their ▁culture . ▁Some ▁sch ol ars ▁have ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁Len ca