ARTS CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT
Finca 6 and The Mystery of the Spheres
Story and photos by Tom Schultz
CULTURAL HERITAGE
C No one knows their purpose.
osta Rica is home to only two protected pre-Colombian archaeological sites, including the larger and better known National Monument of Guayabo. But the less familiar Finca 6 holds greater interest as a subject of study due to its major feature, the mysterious Diquís stone spheres. Although spheres exist at four different sites in Costa Rica, Finca 6 is the only one open to the public. Located in the flat alluvial plain and wetland of the upper Osa Peninsula, near Sierpe, the land area is characterized by heavy sedimentation. Fortunately, this enabled the spheres and other structures to be very well preserved below a 1.5-metersthick layer before they were unearthed, usually by farmers clearing or digging a field. As one of the few places where spheres were discovered “in-situ” (undisturbed), Finca 6 was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014.
Why did they exist?
The most fascinating fact about the Diquis spheres: no one knows their purpose. There are many theories but little proof.
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Some believe they denoted rank or kingship, others think they were merely status symbols or perhaps tribe symbols. Astronomical importance has been suggested by a set of spheres discovered at Finca 6 that align themselves with the sun in mid-April and mid-August. This alignment on what is called the subsolar point — the sun is 90 degrees directly overhead — occurs only in tropical latitudes and is most noticeable for the total lack of shadows. But for all these and other theories, mystery still surrounds the spheres. What is known for certain is that they are old — about 2,000 years old. Their surface is polished and their shape is perfectly spherical, ranging in size from that of a bowling ball to two meters or more in diameter. The spheres are comprised of volcanic basalt, Andesite or sandstone, none of which is found at the Finca 6 site, but much further into the mountainous Dota region. This is where scientists believe the spheres were quarried before being either carried, or floated down streams, to the settlements below. howlermag.com
