Stone Spheres of the Diquís

The stone spheres are associated with settlements in the Diquís Delta in southern Costa Rica. UNESCO describes four component archaeological sites—Finca 6, Batambal, Grijalba-2 and El Silencio—as evidence of complex social, economic and political systems dating from approximately AD 500 to 1500. These settlements include features such as artificial mounds, paved areas and burial places, as well as stone spheres.

UNESCO records spheres ranging from 0.7 to 2.57 metres in diameter and highlights their number, size, density, craftsmanship and placement in original locations. The Costa Rican National Museum documents different archaeological contexts across the four sites. At Finca 6, five spheres remain in situ in two alignments in an area described as a plaza; other sites contain spheres among structures, artifacts and settlement features. The museum notes that decades of looting and agricultural activity have affected archaeological sites and removed, altered or destroyed individual spheres.

The exact meanings, uses and production methods of the spheres remain incompletely understood. The National Museum has conducted regional archaeological research in the Diquís Delta since 2005, combining inspection, evaluation and partial excavation of settlements. The four sites were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014. Their protection and study preserve evidence about pre-Columbian societies in southern Central America without reducing the unresolved questions about the monuments to unsupported legends.