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The Diquis culture (sometimes spelled Diquís) was a pre-Columbian indigenous culture of Costa Rica that flourished from AD 700 to 1530. [1] The word "diquís" means "great waters" or "great river" in the Boruca language. [1] The Diquis formed part of the Greater Chiriqui culture that spanned from southern Costa Rica to western Panama. [2]
The spheres are commonly attributed to the extinct Diquís culture, and they are sometimes referred to as the Diquís Spheres. They are the best-known stone sculptures of the Isthmo-Colombian area. They are thought to have been placed in lines along the approach to the houses of chiefs, but their exact significance remains uncertain.
The pre-Columbian Diquis culture existed from 500 to 1500 CE in the delta of the Térraba River. The World Heritage Site comprises four archaeological sites with material remains from the culture. They include artificial mounds, burial sites, paved areas, and, most prominently, large stone spheres.
[3] [5] The Diquis culture flourished from 700 CE to 1530 CE. [6] Christopher Columbus arrived in Costa Rica in 1502 on his last trip to the Americas. Costa Rica received its name from Gil Gonzalez Dávila when he arrived and thought he found the most gold he had ever seen; therefore naming it the "Rich Coast".
For the next 300 years, Costa Rica was a colony of Spain. As a result, Costa Rica's culture has been greatly influenced by the culture of Spain. [3] During this period, Costa Rica remained sparsely developed and impoverished. Following the Mexican War of Independence (1810–1821), Costa Rica became part of the First Mexican Empire in 1821.
A Diquis stone sphere in the courtyard of the National Museum of Costa Rica. Oxcart wheels, decorated in traditional style, found particularly in Sarchí Costa Rican culture has been heavily influenced by Spanish culture ever since the Spanish colonization of the Americas including the territory which today forms Costa Rica .
The culture of some of these groups, especially on the Atlantic side, had many elements similar to those of the Caribbean islands; but in other groups a South American influence was discernible. For example, in 1562 the town hall of the recently founded city of Castillo de Garcimuñoz , located in the Central Valley, wrote to King Philip II ...
Only a few documents were hidden and thus remain today, leaving modern historians with glimpses of ancient culture and knowledge. From both indigenous American and European accounts and documents, American civilizations at the time of European encounter possessed many impressive attributes, having populous cities, and having developed theories ...