Ancient pyramid 'disturbing' discovery that could rewrite history found on top
A group of five ancient clay figurines known as Bolinas has been unearthed at the San Isidro site in El Salvador, with the "disturbing" discovery made on top of a pyramid
An exciting archaeological discovery has been made within the remnants of a pyramid at San Isidro in El Salvador, unveiling five ancient clay figurines that are ushering in new insights into history.
Led by the expertise of Jan Szymaski and Gabriela Prejs from the University of Warsaw, this significant excavation was recently highlighted in Antiquity journal, identifying the unique pieces as Bolinas figurines - puppet-like treasures that are exceptionally rare finds.
It's not the first time such artifacts have been found; they were previously unearthed at Tak'alik Ab'aj, a notable site of early Maya heritage in Guatemala. Meanwhile, ancient clues reveal where Moses may have received the Ten Commandments from God.
Spanning back more than two millennia, these terracotta sculptures may unveil long-hidden details about an enigmatic Mesoamerican culture. Carbon dating methods clearly place the crafting of these five figurines between 410 and 380 B.C.E.
Each piece from this fresh trove of Bolinas figurines is distinctively marked by agape mouths and exhibits a variation in stature from just a few inches to nearly one foot tall. The three sizable figures also feature detachable heads with drilled holes on their necks and craniums, as detailed by Express.
The team theorizes that these perforations served a functional purpose, allowing a cord to be strung through and fastened atop the statuette's head, essentially converting it into a basic form of marionette.
During a discussion with ScienceLink's Lizzie Wade, Jan Szymaski remarked: "They are clay actors. When you hold them in your hand, sometimes they even look creepy because of their vivid expressions.
"Very little is known about the identities and ethnolinguistic affiliations of the creators of ancient settlements that predate the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th century. This gets worse the further back in time we look. This finding is only the second such a group found in situ, and the first to feature a male figure."
El Salvador's enigmatic pre-Columbian history remains largely veiled, often overshadowed by its more famous neighbors, as reported by Antiquity. The country's dense population and extensive volcanic activity have erased or concealed many potential archaeological treasures.
Similar artifacts to those discovered at San Isidro have surfaced in Guatemala and other parts of El Salvador, as well as in modern-day Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica, suggesting a web of connections between the ancient inhabitants of San Isidro and distant communities.
The San Isidro site, marked by earthen structures crafted by an enigmatic civilization, remains an enigma. The Bolinas figurines were found by archaeologists on top of the site's largest pyramid-like edifice.
The Bolinas figurines, unearthed at San Isidro, may have played a pivotal role in "rituals that would involve recreation of some actual events or mythical events," Szymaski told IFL Science's Benjamin Taub. Szymanski declared: "This discovery contradicts the prevailing notion about El Salvador's cultural backwardness or isolation in ancient times. It reveals the existence of vibrant and far-reaching communities capable of exchanging ideas with remarkably distant places."
