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A tomb of gold bats and crocodiles
Top image: Gold artifacts and the remains of the principal individual in Tomb 3 at El Caño Archaeological Park, Panama, 2026. Source: Panama Ministry of Culture (MiCultura)

A tomb of gold bats and crocodiles

El Caño, Panama. AD 800 to 1000. Greece and Rome. Known. Free

Known. Gold chest plates in the tomb show bats and crocodiles.

The tomb is Tomb 3 at El Caño Archaeological Park, in Coclé, Panama. It dates to between AD 800 and 1000, more than 1,000 years ago. The main person lay stretched out, with gold chest plates, bracelets, ear ornaments, and decorated clay pots. Other people were buried in the same tomb at the same time. The page says the person with the gold had the highest rank in the group.

The page does not say what is still argued.

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/el-cano-gold-tomb-00102536