Where can I learn about Costa Rica’s human history?

Less than an hour south of Dominical, in Palmar Sur, the Finca 6 Archaeological Site provides intrigue and insight surrounding Costa Rica’s rich pre-Columbian history. The 10-acre property, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2014, is home to approximately 10% of Costa Rica’s own Stonehenge of sorts – mysterious stone spheres dating back to the country’s most ancient inhabitants.

Nearly perfect in shape, the spheres number around 300 across the country, but those discovered at Finca 6 are some of the most well-preserved and least disturbed. Carved from molten lava rock, they range in size from a few centimeters wide to more than six feet in diameter, with some weighing as much as 15 tons.

Researchers have been hard-pressed to define the significance of the magnificent orbs, which appear to have been buried during the Spanish conquest of 1502. More than 400 years later, the spheres were unearthed when land clearing was initiated by the United Fruit Company. Today, Finca 6 remains an active archeological site, but researchers and visitors rub elbows in their quest to learn more about the ancient civilization that created the mysterious objects.

A visit to Finca 6 is an easy day trip and includes a visit to the Spheres Museum, a modern building located on the site where visitors are given an advance history lesson before setting out to view the structures up close.

Open Hours: Tuesday to Sunday – 8:00am to 4:00pm

Phone: +506.2100.6000

finca6@museocostarica.go.cr