Caguana Ceremonial Center

About this place

Caguana Ceremonial Center is an archaeological site in Utuado, central Puerto Rico, considered one of the largest and most important pre-Columbian sites in the West Indies. The Taíno built it around 1270, over 700 years ago, and it is known for its well preserved ceremonial ball courts and finely carved stones. About 13 courts and plazas, called bateyes, have been identified, many restored to their original state. It has the largest concentration of petroglyphs in the Antilles, the most famous being a heron-like bird and the «Caguana woman», attributed to the Taíno fertility goddess Atabey. The layout appears to line up with astronomical events, so it may have been used to observe them. You walk across green lawns among giant trees, past earthen courts edged with rows of stones, some over a ton in weight, probably brought from the neighbouring Tanamá River. On the faces of some stones, faces and figures show clearly, protected behind a rope. Sharp, thickly green hills surround the site. It is about 13 km in a straight line from Cueva Ventana, and the mountain roads wind a lot, so a car suits it best. Respect the place, which matters to descendants of the Taíno, and do not touch the carvings or stand on the stones. Check opening hours before you arrive, and bring water and repellent, as rain can come suddenly in the mountains.