Monumento Nacional Arqueológico Guayabo

Introducing Monumento Nacional Arqueológico Guayabo

The largest and most important archaeological site in the country is 19km northeast of Turrialba. Although Guayabo is not nearly as breathtaking as Maya and Aztec archaeological sites (don’t expect pyramids), excavations have unearthed sophisticated infrastructure and mysterious petroglyphs. Polychromatic pottery and gold artifacts found here are exhibited at the Museo Nacional in San José.

The most impressive find at Guayabo is the aqueduct system, which may have served more than 20, 000 people in AD 800, the height of the city’s prominence. It uses enormous stones hauled in from far-off Río Reventazón along an 8km road that’s still in pretty good shape, by Costa Rican standards. The extra effort was worth it – the cisterns still work, and (theoretically) pot­able water remains available on-site, which you can enjoy among various unearthed structures and unexcavated but suspicious-looking mounds.

The site, which may have been occupied as early as 1000 BC, was mysteriously abandoned by AD 1400 – the Spanish conquistadors, explorers and settlers left no record of having found the ruins. Though underfunded archaeologists continue to hypothesize about Guayabo’s significance, most believe it was an important cultural, religious and political center. However, it’s unfortunate that no written records have been recovered from Guayabo, and it’s difficult to credit a particular group with having built the site.

In 1968 Carlos Aguilar Piedra, an archaeologist with the University of Costa Rica, began the first systematic excavations of Guayabo. As its importance became evident, the site was declared a national monument in 1973, with further protection decreed in 1980. Although the site only occupies 232 hectares, most of the ruins are waiting to be uncovered, and there are hopes that future excavations will reveal more about the origins of Guayabo.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009