There are just a few archaeological sites in Costa Rica, probably the most popular one is the Guayabo National Monument in Turrialba, Cartago; but there is another one, many times overlooked even by locals, this is Finca 6 In Palmar Sur de Osa, Puntarenas, also known as “Las Esferas del Diquis” (The Diquis Spheres).

Finca 6 is the second archaeological site that is open to the public after Guayabo; the main attraction here are certainly the mysterious spheres, some of which are “in situ”, meaning they have never been moved since they were discovered. The name “Finca 6” comes from the times when the land here was used for the production of banana and the properties were separated by numbers.

Just this week the US Ambassador in Costa Rica, S. Fitzgerald Haney, announced that the United States Government will be contributing with over US$38,500.00 for the preservation of the Diquis spheres. The money will be used for a hydrologic study that will run from July 2017 through December 2018 to analyze the behavior of the soil and the layers of earth in Finca 6, where the rivers have covered with sediments the archaeological evidence of the area. The information gathered will allow the National Museum of Costa Rica to make informed decisions on redirecting the waters and protecting and preserving the archaeological sites.

Finca 6, Batambal, El Silencio and Grijalba-2 are the four sites located in this region declared by UNESCO as World Heritage sites in June of 2014.

During the visit to Finca 6 you can see four different sectors:

1) Montículos (Mounds): which served as bases for the houses. One measures 10 meters in diameter and the biggest is 30 meters
2) Alignments: 5 spheres in situ that make up two alignments, one of three stone spheres and the other one of two.
3) Transit Spheres: Twenty spheres that have been recovered by the National Museum
4) Point 5: An area that has fragments of ceramic and sculptures.

There is also an exhibit that shows the history of the Pre-Columbian societies that used to inhabit this area, particularly during the Chiriquí age (800-1500 a.c.)

Finca 6 is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. the entrance is of $6.00 for foreigners.