Major tomb discovery at El Cano Archaeological Park

Last edited Sun Mar 3, 2024, 09:02 AM - Edit history (1)

By:
Mark Milligan
Date:
March 2, 2024
Archaeology



Archaeologists have discovered a high status tomb containing funerary offerings of ceramic and gold artefacts during excavations at the El Caño Archaeological Park.

El Caño Archaeological Park is one of Panama’s most important archaeological sites, located in the area of El Caño in the Coclé Province of Panama. The park contains a necreropolis of tombs and stone monoliths that date from between AD 700 to AD 1000.

The site was first discovered in 1925, when American explorer, Hyatt Verrill, uncovered three burials after stumbling across ancient monoliths protruding from the ground along the banks of the Rio Grande River.



Image Credit : Ministry of Culture of Panama

The first formal investigation took place during the 1970’s following research into accounts written by Spanish Conquistadors. The Spanish described a civilisation ruled by a number of elites who differentiated themselves from lower ranks by wearing golden chest plates, and a rich industry of artisans that crafted ornate objects made from gold.

More:
https://www.heritagedaily.com/2024/03/major-tomb-discovery-at-el-cano-archaeological-park/150870