Panama Archaeology’s Paradigm Shift: A History of Cerro Juan Díaz, Its Excavations, and Ongoing Research

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Unraveling the Mysteries of the Isthmo-Colombian Area’s Past: A Symposium in Honor of Archaeologist Richard Cooke and His Contributions" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In the late 1980s, the Panama authorities became aware of extensive looting outside the modern city of La Villa de Los Santos. By the time archaeologists had been called to investigate, the area around the hill known locally as Cerro Juan Díaz resembled the cratered surface of the moon. Thus began a decade of intensive excavations by an international group of researchers, uncovering the history of what may have been one of the largest settlements in Pre-Columbian Panama. Occupied from 200 BCE–1600 CE and spanning some 150 ha, Cerro Juan Díaz may have been a ceremonial center, burial ground, and residential community. The exact nature of the settlement is still under investigation, as hundreds of thousands of cultural remains are still under analysis. Dozens of archaeologists were involved in the project over the years, many of whom began their careers at the site. This paper explores the history of the site’s discovery and excavations, as well as recent projects and plans for the future. Most importantly, it emphasizes the significant impact Cerro Juan Díaz had, and continues to have, on our understanding of ancient life in the Isthmo-Colombian Area.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Unraveling the Mysteries of the Isthmo-Colombian Area’s Past: A Symposium in Honor of Archaeologist Richard Cooke and His Contributions   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38349.0