Mysterious Costa Rica Stone Spheres on Display at New Site

**Editor's note. After publishing this post we have received several comments that the park and museum offer less information and viewing of stones than what is expected. We recommend visiting if you will already be in the area but not making a special trip unless the spheres are of great interest to you. You can see some spheres in San Jose on our walking tours. 

70 years after being discovered in southwest Costa Rica, numerous mysterious stone spheres 'las esferas' now have an official home at the newly inaugurated museum and archaeological site, Finca 6 located in Palmar Sur. 

On Friday, government officials celebrated the opening of the park, which is now accessible to the general public 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday - Sunday. Price of admission is $6 for tourists and $2 for nationals. 

Over 200 spheres have been discovered since the first were found when United Fruit Company was developing land for banana plantations. 

They have been dated to 400 - 1500 A.D. and are the most significant but yet mysterious pre-columbian objects found in Costa Rica. It is not understood why they were made, or how, based on the tools available at the time.

Each sphere is within 5 degrees of being a perfect sphere. Some, which can be viewed on the site, appear in straight lines possibly indicating their use as navigational pointers or following astrological patterns. Other theories indicate they may have been burial markers or recognition of community leaders. 

Finca 6 also has a new museum to walk visitors through the discovery of the spheres and theories as to their purpose and creation. In addition, creation of the park brings awareness to the indigenous groups of Costa Rica specifically the Boruca group, direct decendents of the Diquis people responsible for creating the spheres.

Earlier this year the spheres were granted the honor of being recognized by UNESCO as heritage pieces. They also are the inspiration for the work of famous Costa Rican sculptor, Jimenez Deredia. He uses the shape of the sphere as his primary motif.  

We recommend adding this destination to your trip if you are heading to the Osa Peninsula, Dominical or Ballena National Park. We cannot confirm exact driving directions but you would take the PanAmerican Highway to the Palmar Sur airport on highway 223. This is within a mile of the site and there you most likely could ask how to reach the entrance to Finca 6. 

Most visitors don't find the time to travel to this more remote part of the country, but you can enjoy some of the experience in San Jose on our Bird's Nest tour. We view some of the spheres in person and pass a few of Deredia's fabulous sculptures which can also be seen on our Artist Bird tour. 

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Culture minister with Borruca Indians. photo by Costa Rica Ministry of Culture.

Example of sculpture by Jimenez Deredia displaying the influence of the spheres on his work. photo by Garnier & Garnier architects.

President Chinchilla and ministers in front of one of the larger spheres. Photo from Ministry of Culture.

New museum greets guests to Finca 6. Photo from Ministry of Culture.