1,200-year-old grave with gold artifacts found in Panama

Several feet underground lay a skeleton surrounded by pottery and adorned with gold. The rich burial in Panama went unnoticed for more than a thousand years.

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Not anymore.

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Archaeologists uncovered the treasure-filled grave during excavations at El Caño Archaeological Park, Panama’s Ministry of Culture said in a March 1 news release.

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The pre-Hispanic burial contained an elite lord from the local Coclé culture and dated between 750 A.D. and 800 A.D., archaeologists said.

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The high-status man died “between 30 and 40 years of age,” the El Caño Foundation said in a March 1 Facebook post.

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Inside the 1,200-year-old grave, archaeologists unearthed a treasure trove of gold artifacts, including several breastplates, two belts made of gold beads, bracelets, figure-shaped earrings, crocodile-shaped earrings, gold-covered sperm whale teeth earrings, bells and gold plates.

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Photos show some of these still-shiny gold finds.

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Archaeologists also found bracelets and skirts made of dog teeth, bone flutes and lots of pottery pieces.

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The burial also contained the remains of several other people who were sacrificed to accompany the deceased lord into the afterlife, the ministry said. Archaeologists don’t know how many sacrificial victims are in the tomb but estimated it was between eight and 32 people.

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Excavations and analyses are ongoing, archaeologists said.

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El Caño Archaeological Park was used as a necropolis, or cemetery, from 700 A.D. until 1000 A.D., when the site was abandoned.

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Another elite burial was uncovered at the park in 2011, according to the tourism website Visit Panama. The elite figure, identified as a chieftain, was buried with gold artifacts and 25 other people.

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El Caño Archaeological Park is in Coclé province and about 80 miles southwest of Panama City.

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Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Panama’s Ministry of Culture.

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