El único Panamá - Week 47

Welcome to our weekly series about the uniqueness of Panama!

The Hidden Treasures of El Caño.

Dubbed the “Valley of the Kings of Central America” by National Geographic due to the number of tombs, gold, fine ceramics, jewelry and other artifacts, the Parque Arqueológico El Caño is located 18 km west of Penonomé. This Panamanian national treasure comprises at least eight (8) tombs dating 700-1000 AD. Archaeological evidence found at this funerary site is revealing many clues to an ancient society known as the Coclé or “Golden Warriors” that once roamed what is now central Panama. Archaeologists believe that these thousand year-old tombs could be the most significant find for Panamanian culture since the beginning of the 20th Century.

In March of 2016, excavation of Tomb 4 uncovered 30 skeletons, one wearing a gold necklace and gold nose ring, in addition to numerous stone tools ceramics and jewelry made of canine, feline and shark teeth. Dr. Julia Mayo hopes the artifacts found at El Caño, which also include axes, stingray spines, and a belt made of whale and jaguar teeth, can shed new light on this ancient society.

To find out more about the excavation work and the El Caño Foundation, including how to be a sponsor, go to the Foundation's web page at www.fundacionelcano.org or visit the Fundación El Caño Facebook page.