Gold Jewelry Found in Pre-Hispanic Tomb in Panama

PANAMA CITY, PANAMA—According to an AFP report, a tomb dated to between A.D. 800 and 1000 has been discovered at El Caño necropolis near the southern coast of Panama. Archaeologist Julia Mayo said that the tomb contained human remains, pottery, and gold artifacts, including two bracelets, two earrings, and pectoral jewelry adorned with bats and crocodiles. “The individual with the gold was the one with the highest social status in the group,” Mayo said of the nine similar tombs discovered in the necropolis. “This is where they buried their dead for 200 years,” she added. To read about another tomb uncovered at El Caño, go to "A Golden Shaman," one of ARCHAEOLOGY's Top 10 Discoveries of 2024.