Costa Rica's Massive Ancient Star Chart?

reply to post by Hanslune


I have to admit your first picture of the barrel stones when my eyes first saw it, for a split second I thought: hrrmmmm, those look like ink stamps made from stone......

Then my eyes took in the rest of the scene, and I was like: uhhhh....for giants!

hehehe. Very cool looking.

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@Slayer,

Very cool and interesting subject that I was not aware of. Thanks for sharing.

Can't give an opinion as it's not my forte, but I'll admit I like the star chart or constellation theory. I do have to wonder though, why go through such effort for that (as compared to stone structures used to keep track of certain stars, the moon and sun for time and calander keeping).

Originally posted by eriktheawful

Can't give an opinion as it's not my forte, but I'll admit I like the star chart or constellation theory. I do have to wonder though, why go through such effort for that (as compared to stone structures used to keep track of certain stars, the moon and sun for time and calander keeping).

I'm sorry I guess I wasn't very clear then.

I was trying to convey the idea that they weren't trying to keep track of the heavens. Just possibly creating a physical representation of them in the form of variously sized and placed stone balls situated throughout their territory.

reply to post by SLAYER69


To add to what Slayer was saying the SB's may have had a 'magical' ability in the minds of the people who made them.

Exactly.

I didn't want to get into a debate over age or if they were man made. How ever they were created, could they have possibly been used originally in this manner? I think the idea and theory is a valid one IMO.

reply to post by SLAYER69
Thanks for the heads up and 'honorable mention.'

It's also a nice coincidence because yesterday evening I was thinking about these spheres whilst you were writing about them.

I think it's an attractive idea you've got, and whilst the floor is open, worth considering. The connection between brightness and size is a smart one - original.

I'm less keen on the idea as the Diquis haven't left much evidence that their culture was focused on stars. They didn't opt for burial customs that featured alignments and their artefacts haven't a strongly astronomical content. Sure, there's the possible constellation in your OP, but I think we can agree it's a tenuous lead.

It's interesting because pre-Columbus CR possibly had almost half a million there. Cultures were differentiated across regions and influence from the south changed them even before European epidemics wiped most of them out. As such, without a greater context of what passed for Diquis society in the period of the spheres, it's hard to say. Certainly, even the archaeologists have been more full of ifs and buts than would normally be the case.

They *could* represent important political figures or family members - dead or alive. Even some kind of municipal marker system for roadways and boundaries. There's evidence that during the Diquis time-period CR was a landscaped place with agriculture, terraces and trade routes connecting all the cultures from north to south.

I guess they're ripe for speculation so you can have your star-map and I'll take the markers - we'll likely never know either way.

Wow! and about time man , coming back to this for further reading for sure.

s & f

reply to post by Kandinsky


Thanks for posting the link to the tribe. I looked into them. I found there were several tribes in the area. One came down from the Mexico area and another up from South America. Somebody had to place them. If not them then another group or possibly even before them and those balls could have been moved and thrown the dating off.

That's why again these new discoveries are so important.

Originally posted by soyentist
I feel like that's kind like saying there are star charts on my stucco ceiling. You could literally get any pattern you want out of it.

Yes it is, but, if your stucco ceiling was made thousands of years ago, and then you discovered the that the guy who made it was very advanced in the field of astronomy, you would have to look to see if he had left something in it.

reply to post by SLAYER69


Nice post, just to play devil's advocate tho, would history not teach us to more likely speculate that this was art?

I once watched a fascinating movie that delved into the electric universe theory and how Mar's striking geological formations could in fact be scarring from a huge electrical discharge in the distant past.

In the film they refer to the so-called "Blueberries" that lie all across entire plains on Mars, and suggested that they could have been created as a result of electrical activity. I immediately thought of these stone balls, and wondered if they could have been created in a similar way, either as a result of a natural phenomena, or even by the application of technology.

These things may have existed long before they were carved and moved and given "significance" by those who first found them.

Just an idea, but since they often made huge stones / walls /statues, perhaps those (big) balls where used as weight/counterlift for lifting and moving them or something like that.
Of course since there are only balls laying arround, it's just guesswork.

reply to post by SLAYER69


I could speculate that these were found partially naturally formed, thought at the time to be a relic, polished, perfected and given a place of importance in tribute. Possibly they could be associated with some volcanic deity or representations of a sun god. I could picture a volcanic eruption throwing a rounded boulder through my village and taking it as a sign from something. Although in my reading I have found many contradictions given in exactly what type of stone these spheres are made from most of the types of stone suggested are either of volcanic origin or associated with volcanoes.


I like the idea of a size/brightness correlation, I wonder how the range of sizes of the spheres (is it from several centimeters to several meters ?) would fit with a luminosity scale?

I really don't think they are star charts perhaps they are from the stars due to the engravings on them here are some basic CSI questions I don't see anyone asking
1.have they been carbon dated ?
2.have they been analyzed for composition and microbes?
3.whats inside ie x-rayed
4.are they only found in Costa Rica or other parts of Central or South America or the world?
5.is there a connection to the Olmec culture that existed there?
6.some look black like burned on re-entry has that been considered?
7.are they perfect sphere's or contain imperfections?
8.are they man made and if so with what tools?
9.are there any records of there production by the indigenous peoples that existed there or where they found by those people?
10.are they available for independent testing or are they considered natural treasures to the Costa Rican government and so cannot be touched? (this would answer alot of questions)
before we go saying it's a giant star chart (very doubtful) answer the basic stuff first........................

Originally posted by gaurdian2012
I really don't think they are star charts perhaps they are from the stars due to the engravings on them here are some basic CSI questions I don't see anyone asking
1.have they been carbon dated ?

You cannot carbon date rocks, there have been a few found in situ and there may be dates from the materials around them. The few archaeological reports are in Spanish and my Spanish is limited

2.have they been analyzed for composition and microbes?

Yes for composition limestone, sandstone and a type of basalt, I don't know off hand what the naturally made one were composed of

3.whats inside ie x-rayed

A number were blown up and contained, more rock

4.are they only found in Costa Rica or other parts of Central or South America or the world?

All over the world, both natural and man-made

5.is there a connection to the Olmec culture that existed there?

A trade connection in jade mainly Olmec Jade items in Costa Rica

6.some look black like burned on re-entry has that been considered?

Ah no, the black may be fungus. I've not been to Costa Rica but stone in Honduras and Mexico sometimes shows such a blackening

7.are they perfect sphere's or contain imperfections?

Imperfect

8.are they man made and if so with what tools?

They appeared to have been made by the bash and peck method and some of the softer ones, made of limestone and sandstone by chisel - using arsenic bronze for the tool

9.are there any records of there production by the indigenous peoples that existed there or where they found by those people?

Don't know if the Spanish recorded anything on that subject

10.are they available for independent testing or are they considered natural treasures to the Costa Rican government and so cannot be touched? (this would answer alot of questions)

Lots owned by private individuals (lawn ornaments) and many sitting around in countryside unattached

Heard about these off and on, curious to say the least. Wonder how they were crafted and maneuvered. Possibly with the same supposed magnetic technology that some theorized were used on the pyramids. Hopefully in my lifetime we dig up an answer.

I'd use them as weapons of mass destruction if defending a hill...

reply to post by Kantzveldt


Yes that would work. The Spanish use to use stone for cannon balls and a supply of those were used in the manner you suggest at one of the numerous defenses of their colony at Mellila in Morocco in about 1500's- when they ran out of powder.

Can you imagine that these stone balls could be how they transported massive stones from one site to another. They rolled them to the site then chiseled them to cubes or whatever shape they wanted.

What ever they were for I am sure they had multiple uses

You need Hiram's masonic decoder ring and Aristotle's tracing board to get a clearer picture.

Hey Slayer, nice thread as usual!
I can entertain the star chart theory, but I have my buts (or but) :
If an ancient culture had created a lay-out of stone orbs for a star chart, they would have to decide on a definite time for the layout, eg midnight summer solstice. Or, at least, a mean time around an approximate date/season.

of all the theories I think place/boundry markers or directional tools (a compass of sorts) is more logical. Having said that, it is possible that certain stone orbs could in fact point out rising and setting (East/West) and possibly the heading of certain stars or constelations.

Our ancestors weren't stupid, but I think it would take them far too long to plan and place these markers to a decided precision as to serve them true to the theory of a star map.
You're turning them rusty cogs again Slayer, S+F!