The excavation site is located just north of Guapiles in route to Limon.

An indigenous cementery was uncovered within a two hectare plot of land in Guapiles, Costa Rica, about an hour and a half east of San Jose. The cementary, which was constructed by the Huetares tribe during the pre-Colombian era, was discovered while doing environmental studies that are required to obtain a construction permit for the building of a new high school in the area.

Researchers from the National Museum, led by archaeologist Francisco Corrales, proved the existence of a funeral complex divided into three sectors, two of which have been excavated and appear to be completly intact.

The archaeological site called Liceo, protects three tombs or mounds of stone used to cover a grave. Buried under the rocks, experts have already found an 59 ceramic artifacts, including funeral offerings and everyday objects.

According to Corrales, the cemetery was built by an indigenous group of the Huetares who inhabited the area between 300 and 800 AD. “During this phase, known as La Selva, these groups existed within a complex social organization that centered around a chief and then everything else structured into sectors,” he said. “The burial system we see here reveals the high level of development of those communities.”

A few mysteries surround the archaeologists’ discoveries. The two excavations carried out so far revealed two very different mound configurations that intrigue anthropologists. “The first sector does not have a definite form, it is like a messy blob, whereas the second is shapped like an oblong mound. The structure features two interlocking semicircles that fail to close. This design is not very common,” said Corrales.

According to the anthropologist, these variants led them to consider whether the structure of the mounds had to do with the social and economic status of those buried there.

“One interesting aspect is that we found no marked graves. It is possible that the body was placed directly on the floor. Then they would place the sets of objects near its head or feet. The body and the artifacts were covered with stones of different sizes,” the specialist said.

The river stones used to cover the graves come in different sizes and grades that define the spaces. The medium-sized stones give shape to the structure and the small ones, known today as “coyolillos’ serve to seal the mound. “The stones are sometimes placed in small groups and others are one or two rows,” said Corrales.

The anthropologist Corrales said that an analysis of the quantity and quality of the Ceramic treasures found will give clues about the characteristics of those people.

“So far we have found 59 artifacts including whole pieces and fragments of objects that served as funeral offerings, but also everyday utensils,” Corrales said. “They were organized in groups of 3 to 12 objects, and we still have to determine if they were placed near the head or foot of the deceased.”

Pots, pans and tripods are the most common artifacts, and most were made of ceramic bichrome (two colors). Many of them have animal motifs. The experts will continue to realize excavations in the area until late November when they hope to have the third sector unearthed.

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Filed under: Costa Rica News on November 16th, 2009