Las Mercedes-1: Caribbean built landscapes - History, Government, Language, and Sources

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Isthmian Worlds: Communities, Landscapes, and Connections in Costa Rica and Panama
Costa Rican Caribbean contexts (orientation only) · Source-reviewed profile

Las Mercedes-1: Caribbean built landscapes

Reviewed community and place names are preserved where supported; no otherwise unknown ancient self-designation is invented.

The excavation study uses dates and architectural relations to examine when major works were made. The later synthesis separates a long settlement record from the better-dated monumental phase.

Settlement architecture and political-scale context Earlier occupations and major built phases around 1000–1200 CE; later use separately considered Radiocarbon determinations, built features, surveys and collection history Guácimo, Limón, Costa Rica (orientation only): approximate public-town or distant institutional orientation, not an excavation, burial, sacred-site, cave-entrance, private compound or vulnerable-deposit location; never a territorial, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, political, religious, sovereignty, fishing, water-rights or route boundary. The orientation may be far from the archaeological context. No access, collecting or travel permission is implied.
Overview

Tools, foodways, households, and built landscapes

Highland, river, island, Pacific, and Caribbean connections

Guácimo, Limón, Costa Rica is a modern orientation, not an ancient capital or boundary. Architectural differences support models of local hierarchy, not one homogeneous Caribbean nation.

Political organization and community scale

Architectural differences support models of local hierarchy, not one homogeneous Caribbean nation. Las Mercedes-1 is the Costa Rican site, not an Argentine archaeological classification; roads and leadership models do not establish fixed sovereignty.

Imperial and colonial transformation, living heritage, and modern reception

Living communities and heritage institutions retain their own authority; this atlas cannot establish identity, ancestry, descent, recognition or membership. Archaeological names do not identify every ancient speaker; living Bribri, Cabécar, Boruca, Brörán, Ngäbe, Buglé, Guna and other peoples retain their own language and institutional authority. Events after 1600 CE and modern research, conservation and stewardship are dated separately from the main historical context.

Built phases The excavation study uses dates and architectural relations to examine when major works were made.

Brief DNAGENICS AI-assisted paraphrase of registered evidence, not author or community endorsement. Retain chronological, sampling and interpretive limits.

Source review: 2026-10-20 [S1]
Changing uses The later synthesis separates a long settlement record from the better-dated monumental phase.

Brief DNAGENICS AI-assisted paraphrase of registered evidence, not author or community endorsement. Retain chronological, sampling and interpretive limits.

Source review: 2026-10-20 [S2]
Landscape comparison The regional account compares paths, streams and neighboring settlements rather than one isolated center.

Brief DNAGENICS AI-assisted paraphrase of registered evidence, not author or community endorsement. Retain chronological, sampling and interpretive limits.

Source review: 2026-10-20 [S3]
Historical sequence

A concise, sourced timeline

These milestones are orientation points, not a complete history.

  1. Before monumental construction

    Earlier material does not date all visible architecture.

    [S2]

  2. Major building works

    The interpretation concerns sampled structures rather than every regional settlement.

    [S2]

  3. Uses change

    Reuse complicates a single-purpose reading of the complex.

    [S2]

  4. Architectural studies

    Excavations and regional syntheses revisited chronological and political models.

    [S1]
Culture and language

Foodways, water, craft, household labor, and power

Languages named in this profile

  • Archaeological names do not identify every ancient speaker; living Bribri, Cabécar, Boruca, Brörán, Ngäbe, Buglé, Guna and other peoples retain their own language and institutional authority.

Language family: Language, material classification, political allegiance, residence and living identity are distinct; this record does not classify every ancient speaker.

Research focus: Radiocarbon determinations, built features, surveys and collection history.

Architectural differences support models of local hierarchy, not one homogeneous Caribbean nation.

Las Mercedes-1 is the Costa Rican site, not an Argentine archaeological classification; roads and leadership models do not establish fixed sovereignty.

No artifact, rock-art, sacred-site, burial or human-remains imagery or restricted knowledge is reproduced.

DNAGENICS provides AI-assisted, source-checked educational paraphrases. Cited authors, institutions and communities did not author or endorse this atlas. Public availability does not establish cultural consent or permission to reproduce objects, sacred knowledge or human remains. No imagery is reproduced. Specialist and community review is recommended; use the website contact channel for corrections, rights concerns or removal requests.

AI research guide

Ask about this reviewed profile

The guide can explain and connect facts already present on this page. It cannot search the open web, establish identity or citizenship, or evaluate ancestry and genetic information.

Grounded in approved profile content Citations use the source IDs below No account or DNA context

AI-generated interpretation of genetic similarity, not proof of ancestry. Informational only, not professional advice.

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Before you continue: the analysis you are about to generate is produced by an AI model. AI output can be incomplete, inaccurate, or simply wrong. It describes statistical genetic similarity to reference populations and is not proof of ancestry, ethnicity, identity, or descent. It is provided for informational and educational purposes only, and is not medical, diagnostic, genealogical, legal, or other professional advice. Do not rely on it to make health, financial, legal, or family decisions. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, DNA Genics, S.L. accepts no liability for any loss or decision arising from your use of this AI output.

Do not enter names, contact details, family-tree information, account or kit identifiers, or genetic data.

Evidence register

Sources used for this page

Prefer Indigenous governments, museums, heritage organizations, accountable field projects and public heritage institutions. Give source title, author or organization, date and stable link. Brief summaries are DNAGENICS AI-assisted interpretations, not author or community endorsement, reproduction permission or community review.

  1. C1

    History: archaeology at STRI

    Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Archaeology Lab · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · Undated institutional record; consulted 2026-10-20

  2. C2

    Comisión Nacional de Asuntos Indígenas: documentos

    Comisión Nacional de Asuntos Indígenas, Costa Rica · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · Undated institutional record; consulted 2026-10-20

  3. C3

    Taphonomy at two contiguous coastal rockshelters in Panama: Preliminary observations focusing on fishing and curing fish

    Diana Rocío Carvajal-Contreras, Richard Cooke and Máximo Jiménez; Quaternary International · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · 2008 volume; online 2007

  4. C4

    Starch grains reveal early root crop horticulture in the Panamanian tropical forest

    Dolores R. Piperno, Anthony J. Ranere, Irene Holst and Patricia Hansell; Nature · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · 2000

  5. C5

    Concheros en Bahía Culebra

    Felipe Solís del Vecchio and Anayensy Herrera Villalobos; Museo Nacional de Costa Rica · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · Undated institutional record; consulted 2026-10-20

  6. C6

    Línea Vieja: monumentalidad arqueológica

    Ricardo Vázquez Leiva; Museo Nacional de Costa Rica · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · Undated institutional record; consulted 2026-10-20

  7. C7

    Informe de labores 2020: Sitio Museo Finca 6

    Museo Nacional de Costa Rica · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · 2020

  8. C8

    From Excavation to Online Exhibition: A 30+ year Journey at La Mula-Sarigua

    Patricia Hansell; Cuadernos de Antropología, Universidad de Costa Rica · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · 2019

  9. S1

    Arquitectura, caminos empedrados y cronología del sector principal del Sitio Las Mercedes -1, Caribe Central de Costa Rica

    Ricardo Vázquez Leiva and Claude Chapdelaine; Vínculos, Museo Nacional de Costa Rica · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · 2008

  10. S2

    Desde la milenaria trayectoria de asentamiento a transformaciones en una principalidad cacical del Caribe Central costarricense: sitio arqueológico Las Mercedes - 1

    Ricardo Vázquez Leiva; Cuadernos de Antropología, Universidad de Costa Rica · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · Digital journal record; consulted 2026-10-20

  11. S3

    Línea Vieja: monumentalidad arqueológica

    Ricardo Vázquez Leiva; Museo Nacional de Costa Rica · Institutional research, heritage interpretation or community account; brief attributed paraphrase · Undated institutional record; consulted 2026-10-20

Sources and names remain the property of their respective publishers and communities. Their inclusion is for citation and education; it does not imply endorsement of DNAGENICS. Summaries are original editorial paraphrases and should be checked against the linked source for important use.

Editorial review: October 20, 2026

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