Thanks to the funding from the Panama Ministry of Culture and the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation (SENACYT), the El Caño Foundation was able to purchase equipment to assist in excavations and enable improved analysis and conservation of the archeological materials from the El Caño necropolis |
|
|
A Total Station is a surveying instrument that contains an electronic theodolite and electronic distance meter. It is used to map the coordinates of the excavation site and the materials found within it, which allows the digital reconstruction of the site for future analysis. |
|
|
A Dino-Lite digital microscope is used to help analyze the manufacturing traces (marks) on the objects found in El Caño and to determine the tools and techniques used in their manufacture. |
|
|
An ultrasonic cleaner was purchased to enable the appropriate cleaning of materials such as the artifacts made of gold and stone. |
|
|
An X-Ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) analyzer was purchased to enable the non-destructive analysis of the elemental composition of materials. This type of analysis can assist in determining the origins of the materials which is important to our ongoing study into the trade and movement of materials. |
|
|
Experimental Archaeology Project |
|
|
Researchers simulate the way archaeological artifacts may have been made by experimenting with different materials, tools and manufacturing techniques. Using this method, FEC aims to learn about the raw materials used by ancient Cocle artisans in the decoration of ceramics. The research focuses the analysis on the pigments used in the decoration of the beautiful polychromatic ceramics found in the archaeological site of El Caño dated between 700 and 1520 AD. |
|
|
As no excavations had taken place for two years the area had to be assessed and organized for the 2022 field season. This work included activities such as replacing dirt filled bags to secure the walls and building platforms for accessing the lower areas of the excavation. This season’s initial work was on tomb T3. With the help of our students, we drew the outline of the excavation and lines to delimit the area where the bags, with which T3 and its surroundings were covered last year, would be extracted. |
|
|
Dr. Carlos Mayo participated in the "IV Congress of Science: Research Contributions for the Sustainability of the Science, Technology and Innovation System", presenting the paper entitled "Archaeometric characterization of the pigments used in the decoration of pre-Hispanic ceramics from the site of El Caño (8th-10th century A.D.)". |
|
|
Teachers from School of Spain Visit the Site |
|
|
Teachers from the School of Spain visited the Archaeological Park of El Caño. As part of our continued outreach program, Drs. Julia Mayo, Carlos Mayo, and Miguel Ángel Hervás presented a copy of the two volume box-set book "El Caño: Memorias de Excavación" for the school´s library.
|
|
|
Our Student Interns at Work |
|
|
Katherine, a student at the Autonomous University of Chiriquí, using Reflectance Transformation Imaging - a specialized photographic technique |
|
|
Dra. Julia Mayo with Arturo, a student at the School of Anthropology, Faculty of Humanities at the University of Panama, defended his thesis "The technological styles of worked sperm whale teeth found in the necropolis of El Caño, Antiguo Coclé (750 A.D. - 1100 A.D.)". |
|
|
James, a student at the University of Panama, Humanities Faculty-Anthropology School, successfully defended his undergraduate thesis “Characterization of manufacturing processes in late ceramics from El Caño (780-1020 A.D.)” during a presentation at the University of Panama.
|
|
|
Please consider helping our work by making an online donation through Global Giving. |
|
|
|
|
