1,200-year-old Tomb Filled With Gold Treasures Unearthed In Panama

A discovery was made at a Panama archaeological park last Friday. Archaeologists found a tomb, estimated to be 1,200 years old. Inside, they found gold treasures and the bodies of people who were sacrificed. The country’s Culture ministry believes the tomb to be the burial place of a chief. It’s believed that many individuals were buried alongside him. This discovery shares ancient burial practices and provides a window into the region’s history from ancient times.

In El Caño Archaeological Park, Panama archaeologists uncovered many gold treasures in the grave. These treasures include bracelets, two belts adorned with gold beads, earrings resembling crocodiles, earrings made from gold-covered sperm whale teeth and round gold plates. They found earrings shaped like a man and a woman, two bells, skirts fashioned from dog teeth, and a set of bone flutes.

The El Caño Foundation’s recent Facebook update suggests that the grave may belong to a significant chief from the local Coclé culture, estimated to be in his thirties. They also shared a video featuring the treasures found in the grave. Dr Julia Mayo, the director of the foundation and leader of the archaeological project, revealed that aside from the lord, the tomb houses as many as 31 other individuals who were “sacrificed to serve as companions”.

Mayo clarified that they’re still excavating the burial site, so they can’t precisely count the number of people inside the tomb. She added that the lord was buried facing downwards, a common practice for this kind of tomb, atop a woman’s body.

Linette Montenegro, the national director of heritage at the Ministry of Culture, mentioned that excavation work at the archaeological park started back in 2022. Montenegro stressed that the gold and artefacts found in the tomb are not just valuable for money, but are also important for history and culture.

The Ministry reported that El Caño Archaeological Park, constructed around 700 AD as a burial ground, was deserted by around 1000 AD. Situated in Coclé province, it is approximately 100 miles southwest of Panama City.