Panama: scoperta ricca tomba precolombiana

[ARES III]

Abbacinante oro nella buca dello scavo. Straordinario tesoro trovato ora durante la scoperta di una tomba di 1250 anni fa

 

Luce. Luce pura. Dorata, intensa. Brilla tra il terreno scuro, come se dovesse venire dal centro del pianeta. Gli archeologi sono increduli. La tomba mostra sì un numero elevato di vasi e di offerte, ma questi oggetti d’oro sono straordinari. L’annuncio della scoperta è stato dato in queste ore dal governo del Panama.

Lo strepitoso scavo sta avvenendo nel parco archeologico di El Caño, frazione di Natá, provincia di Coclé. La tomba rinvenuta, secondo gli archeologi, è di un importante signore di Coclé (750-800 d.C.), di epoca preispanica. Lui avrebbe portato con sé i collaboratori più stretti. Probabilmente drogati e uccisi per preparare il passaggio del signore all’Aldilà. Sitio El Caño era un recinto ad uso funerario (necropoli o città dei morti), costruito intorno all’anno 700 d.C. e abbandonato intorno al 1000 d.C. Oltre ai noti monoliti, il sito conteneva un cimitero e un’area cerimoniale con edifici in legno.

Questa recentissima scoperta è particolarmente importante sia per il valore degli oggetti che per la storia e l’antropologia.”Quella che è oggetto di indagine è una tomba molto particolare che appartiene al gruppo delle sepolture multiple e simultanee e le chiamiamo così perché consistono in sepolture di un numero variabile di persone (tra 8 e 32 persone) in una stessa tomba, che unisce persone di alto rango ad altre che furono sacrificate per servire al signore come compagni di viaggio”, ha spiegato lo specialista Julia Mayo, direttrice della Fondazione El Caño e del progetto archeologico. Questi luoghi di sepoltura aiutano i ricercatori a comprendere meglio il sistema dinamico delle società gerarchiche basate sul dominio creato dalle persone che vivevano in questa regione dell’America Centrale prima del contatto con gli europei.

La parte aurea del corredo portato alla luce è composta da 5 pettorali – che i conquistadores spagnoli ricordavano indossati dai capi dei locali, durante le battaglie – 2 cinture di perle sferiche d’oro, 4 braccialetti, 2 orecchini con motivi antropomorfi (rappresentano un uomo e una donna), un orecchino a forma di doppio coccodrillo, 1 collana di piccole perle circolari, 5 orecchini realizzati con denti di capodoglio con copertura in oro, un set di placche circolari d’oro, due campanelli, braccialetti e gonne realizzati con denti di cane e un set di flauti in osso.

Linette Montenegro, direttrice nazionale dei Beni del Ministero della Cultura (MiCultura), ha spiegato che in questi mesi la Fondazione El Caño e il Ministero stanno sviluppando un intervento archeologico di approfondimento. Esso fa parte di un progetto a lungo termine iniziato nella stagione secca del 2022, finanziato attraverso l’“Accordo di cooperazione culturale n. 025-2021 celebrato tra il Ministero della Cultura e la Fondazione El Caño per lo sviluppo del “Progetto Archeologico El Caño, campagne 2021-2024.

La morte contestuale del re e dei suoi stretti collaboratori, oltre a rappresentare una visione del viaggio nell’Aldilà, avrebbe rappresentato una facilitazione nella sostituzione del re da parte di un nuovo sovrano, che subentrava senza resistenze o complotti, al comando.

https://stilearte.it/abbacinante-oro-nella-buca-dello-scavo-straordinario-tesoro-trovato-ora-durante-la-scoperta-di-una-tomba-di-1250-anni-fa/

[ARES III]

 

Un hallazgo en El Caño que nos habla de un pasado enigmático y fascinante

Cerca de la cuenca del Río Grande en Coclé, en la segunda mitad del primer milenio d.C. floreció una civilización de la cual ahora se conocen más detalles dignos de estudio para historiadores, arqueólogos y antropólogos.

 

Imágenes de algunas de las piezas descubiertas en el sitio arqueológico de El Caño. Fotos/Senacyt

 

En la región de El Caño, situada en el distrito de Natá de los Caballeros en Coclé, han salido a la luz recientes hallazgos arqueológicos que nos ofrecen una ventana privilegiada hacia el pasado. Artefactos de cerámica, piezas de oro y tumbas prehispánicas revelan aspectos claves de la vida y costumbres de las antiguas comunidades que ocuparon estas tierras entre los años 500 y 1,000 d.C. ¿Cómo era la gente que vivió en estos enigmáticos tiempos antiguos? ¿Qué creencias, valores y prácticas culturales moldearon sus vidas? Arqueólogos, antropólogos e historiadores ahora tienen más luces para hacer trabajos.

 

Imágenes de algunas de las piezas descubiertas en el sitio arqueológico de El Caño. Fotos: Senacyt

La información del hallazgo la reportó el Ministerio de Cultura el pasado 29 de febrero. Se trata específicamente de un ajuar arqueológico, que incluye joyas de oro como pectorales, cinturones, brazaletes, pendientes y collares, así como instrumentos musicales y ornamentos elaborados con materiales preciosos.

 

Este descubrimiento es el resultado del proyecto arqueológico de la Tumba No. 9, dirigido por la Fundación El Caño y MiCultura. Julia Mayo, directora de la Fundación El Caño y líder del proyecto por más de 18 años, sugiere que este ajuar funerario posiblemente perteneció a un hombre adulto de alto estatus de Río Grande.

El hallazgo se dio en el parque arqueológico El Caño. Cortesía

El arqueólogo Carlos Fitzgerald, conocido por sus investigaciones en el parque arqueológico de los Montículos 3 y 4 en 1988, destaca la significancia del reciente hallazgo.

Este descubrimiento no solo ratifica los rituales funerarios previamente registrados desde las excavaciones en el Sitio Conte en la década de 1930 y en la propia región de El Caño, donde individuos de alto rango eran acompañados por una rica variedad de objetos suntuarios.

Fitzgerald elogia la excelencia artesanal de los objetos de metal encontrados, incluyendo piezas únicas previamente desconocidas en contextos controlados. Estos hallazgos proporcionarán una mayor comprensión de las interacciones sociales, el poder y las creencias de las antiguas comunidades de alto estatus que habitaron las fértiles tierras cercanas al río Grande de Coclé.

Imágenes de algunas de las piezas descubiertas en el sitio arqueológico de El Caño. Fotos: Senacyt

Asimismo, dice, el descubrimiento confirma la importancia de la centralidad y simetría para las antiguas poblaciones de El Caño y Sitio Conte, como se refleja en la disposición de las ofrendas y la posición de los cuerpos.

Fitgerald también plantea que El Caño no era simplemente una necrópolis, como se ha sugerido, ya que albergaba comunidades y contaba con un gran centro ceremonial marcado por megalitos de basalto, esculturas de piedra tallada y un canal para el control de las inundaciones.

El Caño en el distrito de Natá, provincia de Coclé. Cortesía

El sitio arqueológico fue reportado por un explorador británico en 1925, pero el Parque Arqueológico fue creado en 1979. Los arqueólogos interpretan que para la segunda mitad del primer milenio d.C. El Caño fue un lugar de confluencia tribal, donde se llevaban a cabo rituales y festividades, entre ellas los entierros fastuosos de los líderes y jefes, en una especie de competencia intercomunitaria.

Aunque la cultura que habitó esta región se conoce como Coclé, Fitzgerald sugiere que no hay evidencia que respalde que se autodenominaran de esa manera. Más bien, plantea la posibilidad de que fueran los antepasados de la actual etnia buglé, asentada en la cordillera central entre las provincias de Coclé, Veraguas, Chiriquí y Bocas del Toro.

 

https://www.prensa.com/vivir/un-hallazgo-en-el-cano-que-nos-habla-de-un-pasado-enigmatico-y-fascinante/?utm_source=prensacom&utm_medium=Seccion&utm_campaign=Ultima Hora

[ARES III]

https://www.midiario.com/ciencia-y-tecnologia/panama-la-tacita-de-oro-nuevas-revelaciones-en-el-cano-senacyt-comparte-impactantes-hallazgos-arqueologicos/

 

 

Major tomb discovery at El Caño Archaeological Park

 

Image Credit : Ministry of Culture of Panama

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 necropolis 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.

According to a press announcement by the Ministry of Culture of Panama, archaeologists have discovered a tomb (designated Tomb No. 9) which contains the remains of a Coclé lord and numerous funerary offerings.

Image Credit : Ministry of Culture of Panama

Excavations have so far uncovered 5 pectorals golden plates, 2 belts of spherical beads made from gold, 4 bracelets, 2 earrings in the shape of human figures, an earring depicting a double crocodile, 1 necklace of small circular beads, 5 earrings made from the teeth of a sperm whale, a set of gold plates, two bells, bone flutes, bracelets, and hundreds of ceramic objects.

Dr Julia Mayo, director of the El Caño Foundation, told HeritageDaily: “The tomb was built around the year AD 750 and contains the remains of a Coclé lord, but also has other burials who died to accompany him to the afterlife.”

Image Credit : Ministry of Culture of Panama

Dr Mayo explained that excavations of the tomb remains incomplete, thus making it currently impossible to ascertain the total number of individuals interred alongside the Coclé lord. However, what is established is that he was buried in a face-down position, a customary burial practice within this society, usually atop the remains of a woman.

Header Image Credit : Ministry of Culture of Panama

Sources : Ministry of Culture of Panama – Important tomb with sumptuous gold outfits discovered in el caño archaeological park

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

[ARES III]

 

Descubren importante tumba con suntuoso ajuar de oro en Parque Arqueológico El Caño

 

La doctora Mayo afirmó que la tumba fue construida alrededor del año 750 después de Cristo y es la de un gran señor, pero también de otras personas que murieron para acompañarlo al «más allá»

La tumba de un importante señor Coclé (750-800 d.C), época prehispánica, fue encontrada en el parque arqueológico de El Caño, distrito de Natá provincia de Coclé.

Linette Montenegro, directora nacional de Patrimonio del ministerio de Cultura (MiCultura) detalló que durante este verano la Fundación El Caño y el Ministerio desarrollan el proyecto arqueológico de la Tumba N° 9 del Parque Nacional Arqueológico.

Es parte de un proyecto a largo plazo que empezó en la estación seca del año 2022 y es financiado a través del “Convenio de Cooperación Cultural Nº 025-2021 celebrado entre el Ministerio de Cultura y la Fundación El Caño para el desarrollo del “Proyecto Arqueológico El Caño, campañas 2021-2024.

Montenegro agregó que además de las ofrendas, en su mayoría artefactos de cerámica, también se encontraron piezas de oro que forman parte de los ajuares funerarios con que se enterraban a los muertos, y que tienen no solo un valor económico, sino un incalculable valor histórico y cultural.

Este ajuar está compuesto de 5 pectorales, 2 cinturones de cuentas esféricas de oro, 4 brazaletes, 2 pendientes en forma de figuras humanas (un hombre y una mujer), un pendiente en forma de cocodrilo dobre, 1 collar de cuentas pequeñas circulares, 5 pendientes elaborados con dientes de cachalote con fundas de oro, un conjunto de placas circulares de oro, dos cascabeles, pulseras y faldellín elaborados con dientes de perro y un conjunto de flautas de hueso.

En tanto la doctora Julia Mayo, directora de la Fundación El Caño y directora del proyecto arqueológico por 18 años, pues las excavaciones empezaron en el año 2008, detalló que esta colección pudo haber pertenecido a un varón adulto de alto estatus de la jefatura de Río Grande.

La doctora Mayo afirmó que la tumba fue construida alrededor del año 750 después de Cristo y es la de un gran señor, pero también de otras personas que murieron para acompañarlo al «más allá».

Explicó que la excavación del entierro no ha finalizado, por tanto, no se puede precisar de momento cuántas personas fueron enterradas con él, pero lo que sí se sabe que enterrado boca abajo, una manera de entierro común en esta sociedad, sobre el cuerpo de una mujer.

Sitio El Caño fue un recinto de uso funerario (necrópolis o ciudad de muertos), que fue construido alrededor del año 700 d.C. y abandonado entorno al 1000 d.C. Además de los conocidos monolitos, el recinto contenía un cementerio y un área ceremonial con edificios de madera.

Este descubrimiento es importante, entre otras cosas, porque presenta un tipo de enterramiento muy especial que “conocemos como enterramientos múltiples y simultáneos y lo llamamos así a porque consisten en inhumaciones de un número variable de personas (de entre 8 y 32 personas) en una misma tumba de personas de alto estatus que fueron enterradas junto con otras previamente sacrificadas para servir como acompañantes” detalló la especialista Mayo.

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https://destinopanama.com.pa/tag/el-cano/

[ARES III]

 

El Caño Archaeological Park

 

El Caño is one of Panama's most important archaeological sites, located in the area surrounding the location of El Caño. Over the course of the last century archaeologists have been discovering several pre-Columbian burial sites at this location that are believed to date between 700 and 1000 AD.^[1] These burial sites have helped researchers gain a better understanding of the dynamic system of the Hierarchical (Hierarchy) chiefdom-based societies created by the people who lived in this region of Central America before contact with Europeans.

View of the funeral burials found in El Caño.

History of archaeological work in El Caño

The first discovery at El Caño was made in 1925 when an American adventurer named Hyatt Verrill dug up three skeletons in the area. Verril was attracted to the area after finding several unusually shaped rocks (which would turn out to be ancient monoliths) sticking out of the ground while he was walking along the banks of the Rio Grande River (in Panama). After his discovery Verril reported the site's location to several archaeologists in the United States, but was promptly ignored. Even though archaeologists would be finding extraordinary artifacts made of gold and other precious materials just a few miles away in Sitio Conte throughout the 1930s and 1940s, there was no formal investigation ever launched at El Caño until the 1970s.^[2]

The 1970s

The first formal investigation of a claimed burial site located at El Caño was conducted by a group of American archaeologists who were researching the written accounts from early Spanish Conquistadors. According to many of the Spanish accounts, while travelling through this region they made contact with a group of people who lived in a society ruled by a small number of elites and created magnificent forms of gold work. In later Spanish accounts of the battles against these indigenous people, it was noted by Spanish soldiers that the higher elites of these societies differentiated themselves from lower ranks by wearing golden chest plates and other forms of jewelry as they fought in battle. Spanish explorers claimed that there were countless number of stories from the indigenous population telling of ceremonial burial sites that laid along the river, many of which held the bodies of priest and other high elites who were adorned with golden chest plates and other golden artifacts. According to one story written throughout the time of Spanish occupation, it was reported that a group of Spaniards discovered one of these graves and looted 335 pounds of gold objects.^[2]

After a considerable amount of excavating at El Caño during the 1970s, archaeologists only found the remains of 16 individuals. No one ever discovered any large volumes of gold-filled graves like the Spanish had talked about in their written accounts. In 1979 archaeological work in this region of Panama dropped significantly due to the rise of Panama's Democratic Revolutionary Party and a change of politics that swept across the nation. Although some archaeology continued in Panama throughout the 1980s, the interest in the artifacts found at El Caño was not enough to keep scientists at the site. Work at El Caño ceased and would not resume until the mid-1990s.^[3]

The 1990s and surveying the site

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and Panama's 1994 election of a new president (Ernesto Pérez Balladares), the relationship between the United States and Panama improved enough for archaeological work to resume at sites that had been abandoned and neglected for 15 years.^[3] Although there had been some talks of resuming excavation at El Caño many archaeologists continued to be content with the information that they obtained during the 1970s. In the early 2000s an archaeologist named Julia Mayo who had previously been working at the neighboring site of Sitio Conte decided to launch a formal re-investigation of El Caño. Mayo believed that the people who lived at El Caño may have been a branch of the Sitio Conte Culture that Harvard archaeologist Samuel Kirkland Lothrop theorized in a report written in 1937.^[2]

2005

Stone monoliths found around El Caño, Panama. These monoliths are similar to the ones that originally prompted Hyatt Verrill to dig up three pre-Columbine graves along the Rio Grande River (Panama).

In 2005 Mayo launched a ground survey using electrical surveying technology that had never been used at the site. Their main goal was to determine if there actually were any burial sites at El Caño, and if there were burial sites at El Caño they wanted to know how much area the burial sites took up. Using transient electromagnetics, a team of geologists found several sets of circular magnetic anomalies at the base of several earthen mounds. Many of these anomalies were specifically located in coordination to where rain runoff had eroded away the sides of the lower portions of the mounds.^[4]

After two years the information gathered through the survey determined that there was a clear circular outline of disturbance in the landscape that looked to contain the burials of Pre-Columbian people. This area was found among a series of stone monoliths and statues, and it was recorded to be approximately 250 feet (80 meters) in diameter.^[5]

First excavation in 2008

After the survey, Mayo and a team of archaeologists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute located in Panama City spent some time going over the information they obtained and forming a base of questions for their research at the site. In 2008 Mayo's team began their first excavation at El Caño (after 29 years of the site being abandoned). Not long after they started excavating they discovered the body of a high elite warrior dressed in golden breastplates and adorned with jewelry made of golden beads.^[5]

2011

As work continued on the excavation at El Caño, news began to spread rapidly about the discoveries being made at the site. The excitement in the region built up rapidly and in 2011 the project received large contributions from the Panamanian Government and National Geographic. This allowed Mayo and her team to start a new excavation pit. In this new pit they would find the biggest discovery currently at El Caño. Here they found the body of warrior chief adorned in gold artifacts while laying atop 25 specifically arranged bodies of other individuals.^[5]

El Caño's archaeology as of 2016

As of 2016, archaeology work is still being carried out at the burial sites located at El Caño and many spectacular artifacts are still being pulled out of the ground. Archaeologists who have worked on the site believe that even though there have been many great discoveries, scientists have hardly scratched the surface of what El Caño can offer to the scientific world. It has also brought academics of all fields of study to question several other places in the surrounding area that have been speculated to contain archaeological sites that have never been investigated.

The rise of tourism in El Caño

The skeletons placed in the excavation pit are meant to give visitors a perception where things were located when archaeologist were digging.

Although the discovery of the burial sites at El Caño have contributed a lot to the academic world, it has also done a lot to change the economics of the region. The discovery at El Caño has become something that is celebrated among members of the local population and the rest of Panama. The discovery of golden artifacts and the pre-Columbine tombs have aroused the interest of people worldwide. People who feel captivated by the concept of adventure have begun to travel to El Caño so they can feel the excitement of discovery. In recent years tourism has been rising in El Caño and today the local population have worked with Archaeologist to create a small archaeological park that people can visit.^[6]

Visitors to the park can have the opportunity to walk along several paths that take them through the archaeological site. They can also get the opportunity to visit the 2011 excavation pit where the warrior chief was discovered, it now resides inside a constructed building to protect it from the elements. Archaeologists have taken the liberty to place several of the encased skeletons found at the site back into the pit in order give visitors a perspective on how the pit looked when it was being excavated. If visitors want more information they can also go to the visitor center which holds a museum that contains artifacts found on the site. It has become so important to the region that it is often advertised in tour programs and online advertisements.^[6]

References

1. ^ Martín Seijo, M.; Torné, J. Mayo; Torné, C. Mayo; Huerta, R. Piqué i. (June 3–16, 2007). "Forest Resources, Chiefdoms and Mortuary Practices in the Neotropics: Preliminary Archaeobotanical Analysis from El Caño Funerary Complex (Coclé Province, Panamá)". EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts. EGU General Assembly: 2312. Bibcode:2012EGUGA..14.2312M.
2. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Williams, A. "Panama's Nata Chiefs". National Geographic. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012.
3. ^ Jump up to:^a b Domínguez, Jorge (1998). "Democratic transition in Central America and Panama" (PDF). Democratic Politics in Latin America and the Caribbean.
4. ^ Mojica, A (2014). "Investigating Pre-Columbian Ceremonial Features at El Caño Archaeological Site, Panama, through Geophysical Surveys". Near Surface Geoscience 2014 - 20th European Meeting of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics. doi:10.3997/2214-4609.20141971. ISBN 978-94-6282-027-2.
5. ^ Jump up to:^a b c Owen, James. ""Golden Chief" Tomb Treasure Yields Clues to Unnamed Civilization". National Geographic News. National Geographic. Archived from the original on December 23, 2011.
6. ^ Jump up to:^a b Vallecillos, Milagro (2005). "Discovering the mystery of Panama's Stonehenge". The Visitor Panama. Focus Publications.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Caño_Archaeological_Park

Modificato 3 Marzo da ARES III