Evening star., 1934-02-19
SC|ENT|STSD|GU UP
GOLD IN PANAMA
Treasure RivaIing That Of
Peruvian lncaS Found in
Burial Ground.
ny the Associated Press.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass, February 10.
Gold rivaling t. at Of the Peruvian
Incas has been excavated from the
burial grounds Of hitherto unknown
Central American people by Peabody
Museum archeologists.
Carried on secretly for three sea
sons because publicity might ruin the
scientific work, the results of the ex-
ploration were made public last night.
The gold is in the form of rich,
often ponderous, personal. adornments.
1t was buried by a people new among
ancient American cultures. They
were distinguished especially by a
strong belief in hereafter.
The excavations were carried on in
1880, 1881 and 1888 under direction
of H. B. Roberts and S. K. Lothrop.
AL the archaeological finds came from
a fiat 10-acre field on the banks of
the Rio Grande de Cocle, in the
Province of Cocle, Panama.
Gold Washed Out.
The site is about 90 miles as the
crow flies southwest of the Pacific
end of the Panama Canal. 1t was
discovered because the river cut
through the grounds. washing out OBJ
jects of gold, copper, stone, bone and
pottery. The scientific treasures have
been taken from about score of the
hundreds of graves.
The now-vanished people lived in
this locality about the time when
Columbus discovered America. Their
culture was different from that of the
Mayans to the northward Somewhat
1t resembled that of the most highly
civilized groups in Northern Peru
and Northeastern South America.
Most Of all, it bespoke of the Old
World customs Of providing the dead
for q future life.
The burials evidently were those of
chiefs, the announcement from Har-
ward states, for only the rich could
have afforded the great stores of
furnishings.
Retainers Nearby.
Each chief was buried on a great
stone slab. Apparently he was in
sitting position. In front of him,
often piled in windows. we're the
bodies of retainers-sometimes score
or more there were servants, con-
cubines, wives.
Heaped in piles, wherever there
was room on the slabs, were gold or
naments, pottery, jade agate, quartz,
beryl and gilded copper. The pottery
included large plates, bowls, wine cups
and jars. Much of it still retains
brilliant painted colors.
There was much pure hammered
gold, also quantities of gold mixed
with copper. There were thin plaques
Of gold as large around as the brim
Of a good-sized hat. They were evi-
IDENTIFY intended for hanging upon the
clothing.
Pure Gold Greaves.
There we're pure gold greaves for
the forearms and for the shins Ham
mered thin, their gold content is esti-
mated in some cases at 500 to $3.50
. piece. This is at the old price for
gold.
AS many as 90 articles of gold
have been found in a single grave
They included massive cuffs, neck
laces, rings, nose pendants. ear spools
and solid and hollow castings in the
form of men and animals.
Some of the articles had little gold
In them and some were pure copper.
The burials seemingly covered a
long period. Sometimes there were
six or seven burials superimposed.
Before the site was obliterated by the
silt and dust of centuries it evidently
was marked by 6-foot stone columns,
with altar stones at their bases.