Just south of the Zihuatanejo Airport there is a large archeological site at "La Soledad De Maciel" and the small town of "La Chole". While artifacts have been found there since the 1930s, excavations were only started between 2000 and 2010. The site was occupied from 3000 BCE to the early 600s CE when it was destroyed by a tsunami. It was occupied by three different cultures and was an important trading city for both Teotihuacan and the Olmec. At its height, it had a large population with the site possibly covering a 10 km2 area. Only a small part of the site has been excavated because most of it is owned by the local farmers who grow fruit trees, vegetables, coconuts for copra, and tobacco that they roll into cigars. The Mexican government is in the process of buying back the site, but it will be a slow process.