Heritage: Pre-Columbian archaeological boom underway in Costa Rica

The recent grand opening of the Park and Museum of the Stone Spheres and the extensive recovery and curation work of the Guayabo National Monument are the two most significant events that represent the current boom in archaeological and anthropological research in Costa Rica.

One of the highlights of the administration of President Laura Chinchilla has been her insistence that government agencies must work with each other and cooperate with non-governmental organizations for the benefit of the nation. This collaborative philosophy has certainly benefited the archaeological record of Costa Rica.

In 2014, the Park and Museum of the Stone Spheres in the southern canton of Osa has been deemed a great success in terms of awakening interest in cultural tourism and it is firmly in the running to become one of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites, which is an effort that President Chinchilla has fully supported.

Also in 2014, archaeologists and restoration experts at the Guayabo National Monument, province of Cartago, are reporting on the considerable progress they have made in unearthing and cleaning up several structures at this important pre-Columbian citadel. The accomplishments made over the last 12 months have resulted in the reconstruction of an area of about 1,925 square meters, which archaeologists believe now looks as it did circa the years 500 to 1350 A.D.

The ongoing restoration at Guayabo is a joint effort undertaken by the University of Costa Rica and the National System of Conservation Areas (Spanish acronym: SINAC). Funding for the project, which has been estimated at more than $350K, was provided by SINAC. During the excavation, archaeologists dug up more than 60,000 fragments of stone and ceramic that were used as reconstruction materials.

In total, the archaeological restoration team at Guayabo rescued and reconstructed a walled stone path about 25 meters long as well as two promontories that were part of a public assembly area. This path, known as Caragra, served one of the main gates of the ancient settlement. The archaeological area protected by SINAC consists of about 62 acres.

SINAC is committed to continue restoration efforts in Guayabo, which will include modern drainage systems to protect the structures and an overhaul of the existing visitor paths so that all structures can be fully appreciated.

Source: Costa Rica Star [April 10, 2014]