COSTA RICA: Remains of over a dozen people are found by archeologists in pre-Columbian burial ground

Record ID: 572468

  • Title: COSTA RICA: Remains of over a dozen people are found by archeologists in pre-Columbian burial ground
  • Date: 23rd July 2010
  • Summary: TRES RIOS, COSTA RICA (JULY 21, 2010) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF ARCHEOLOGY SITE ARCHEOLOGISTS WORKING ON SITE ARCHEOLOGISTS CLEANING POT MORE OF SITE VARIOUS OF ARCHEOLOGISTS UNEARTHING HUMAN REMAINS AND WRAPPING IN TINFOIL (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) GENERAL DIRECTOR OF COSTA RICA'S NATIONAL MUSEUM, PATRICIA FUMERO, SAYING: "Until now we have found several pots, nearly one hundred ceramic artifacts, stone figures and we have found 26 individuals." SKELETON BEING UNEARTHED MORE OF ARCHEOLOGISTS WORKING TO DIG OUT OBJECTS BOOK TITLED: "HUMAN BONE MANUAL" ARCHEOLOGIST ARCHEOLOGIST FROM COSTA RICA'S NATIONAL MUSEUM MARITZA GUTIERREZ AT SITE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARCHEOLOGIST FROM COSTA RICA'S NATIONAL MUSEUM, MARITZA GUTIERREZ, SAYING: "According to the comparison of ceramic styles found here, together with those established for the Central Valley of Costa Rica, we are talking about 1,000 - 1,200 years after Christ. Samples of vegetal carbon will be sent in one or two months to specialized laboratories abroad and they will return the data with precise dates." MORE OF ARCHEOLOGIST DIGGING UP POT ARCHEOLOGIST CLEANING POT MORE OF ARCHEOLOGISTS WORKING
  • Embargoed: 7th August 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Costa Rica
  • Country: Costa Rica
  • Topics: History
  • Reuters ID: LVAC09HMZEFP7FP4LDM9UWNIMPE1
  • Story Text: A group of archeologists from Costa Rica's National Museum confirmed the discovery of 32 pre-Columbian graves with the human remains of at least 26 people buried under a building site in a residential neighbourhood close to the city of Tres Rios, located 15 kilometres (9.3 miles) east from the capital San Jose.
    According to researchers at the burial grounds, the human remains correspond to indigenous groups related to the Huetar culture which dominated the central valleys of Costa Rica before the 1524 Spanish Conquest.
    The funeral complex being unearthed measures 400 square metres (1,312 feet) and researchers estimate it is 1,000 or 800 years old. It contains 32 rectangular graves with a complex design, mixing large and flat river stones which were laid upon a stepped structure on several levels.
    "Until now we have found several pots, nearly one hundred ceramic artifacts, stone figures and we have found 26 individuals," said the General Director of Costa Rica's National Museum, Patricia Fumero.
    According to the archeologists, the finding is of vital importance to understand the vision these groups had over life and death and their funeral habits. It has been determined the corpses were not immediately buried but were placed outdoors to dry and once the bodies were decomposed, muscles and soft tissues were removed. Only the bones were left and buried following diverse funeral rituals.
    Bones belonging to children, youngsters and adults were found. The sex of the bodies has yet to be determined. The skeletons were buried together with ceramic pieces such as vessels, pots and plates which were used as an offering to the deceased.
    Fragments of vegetal activated carbon found at the excavation site will be submitted for analysis in order to determine the exact dates of the human remains and objects found.
    "According to the comparison of ceramic styles found here, together with those established for the Central Valley of Costa Rica, we are talking about 1,000 - 1,200 years after Christ. Samples of vegetal carbon will be sent in one or two months to specialized laboratories abroad and they will return the data with precise dates," said archeologist from Costa Rica's National Museum, Maritza Gutierrez.
    A group of archeologists will remain at the site for two more weeks.
    Costa Rica was inhabited by an estimated 400,000 Indians when Christopher Columbus explored it in 1502 but the Spanish Conquest began in 1524. The region was administered as a Spanish province and grew slowly. The Central American country achieved its independence in 1821.
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