BATAMBAL ARCHAELOGICAL SITE

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Batambal’s location is privileged, on top of a hill at the foot of Fila Retinto, facing the Térraba River, with an ample view of the ocean, the delta’s plains and surrounding mountains; perhaps that was the reason to create the settlement towards the year 300 A.D.

Of the first town remain pottery and stone deposits, and a large number of narrow-waist axes whose use could have been symbolical.

Towards the year 800 A.D. the place was occupied again; an important set of structures was built with river stone bases, associated to the spheres, spiked sculptures and petroglyphs. The settlement would have had ceremonial and surveillance purpose due to its strategic position.

A group of small spheres and over 160 fragments of sculptures broken on purpose dating to that period were recorded, seemingly left over from a ritual. The figures --characters, animals and hybrid human-animal images-- were deposited in concavities in the ground inside one of the stone structures.

Besides this particular group, no domestic or funeral remains have been found for this period, while on the lower hills there were cemeteries and widespread villages. Finding of this ritual group and the strategic position of the site indicate a place of special usage, towards which inhabitants of nearby settlements would have come to perform activities. The architectural structures would serve for these celebrations or the residence of characters in charge of the same. 

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