Green stones from ancient tombs in Panama turn out to be emeralds from Colombia

Now, for the first time, researchers have tested such finds with modern non-destructive methods and confirmed: the stones were indeed emeralds. What's more, their chemical signatures point to a Colombian origin. The work was published in the journal Latin American Antiquity.

This is not only important for the history of gemstones. The find shows that societies in Central and northern South America were linked by complex exchange networks as early as the eighth and tenth centuries AD. The emeralds were probably not transported directly from the mining site to the Panamanian elite, but passed through several communities.

Details

The scientists studied green stones found at two archaeological sites on Panama's Pacific coast, El Caño and Sitio Conte. These sites are part of the Gran Coquelé region and are known for rich elite burials from around 800 to 1000 AD.

Thousands of objects were found in such graves: gold objects, pyrite mirrors, pendants, figurines, ancient megalodon teeth, and other items associated with status and rituals. Among them were green stones, some of which were embedded in jewellery or figurines.

To analyse them, the researchers used methods that do not destroy the samples: optical microscopy, portable X-ray fluorescence, UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy, FTIR and photoluminescence. Such methods allow to determine the composition of the mineral and compare its features with known sources.

The results show that the studied stones are emeralds. Their geochemical characteristics are consistent with an origin from Colombia - probably from areas associated with known emerald belts, including the Muso and Chivor regions.

The authors also compared the Panamanian samples with other emeralds from the region and concluded that some of the stones may have arrived in Panama already worked or partially worked. Others, judging from the work marks, may have been drilled and refined by local craftsmen.

This was not an easy task. Emerald is a brittle crystal, and it cracks easily when drilled. Some specimens show traces of unsuccessful processing attempts. But even damaged stones were still used and placed in burials, which speaks of their high value.

According to researchers, emeralds may have been more than just jewellery. In Kokle societies, they probably had symbolic and political significance: such objects could emphasise status, participate in the exchange of gifts, cement alliances or serve as prestigious offerings.

Why it matters

The study is the first to provide scientific confirmation that the green stones from pre-Columbian burials in Panama were emeralds and not superficially similar minerals. This clarifies ideas about the elite culture of the Cocle region and which objects were considered particularly valuable.

Even more important is the geography of the find. If the emeralds did indeed originate from Colombia, it means that they travelled hundreds of kilometres to Panama. This indicates strong interregional links between the societies of the Eastmo-Colombian region, an area that included parts of present-day Central America and northwestern South America.

This is not necessarily trade in the modern sense. The authors are cautious about exchange networks: objects may have changed hands between coastal and riverine communities, gradually moving northwards.

Background

El Caño and Sitio Conte have long been known as important centres of Panama's ancient elite. In their burials, archaeologists have found elaborate jewellery and ritual objects that show a high level of craftsmanship and social stratification.

The green stones from these complexes used to be called emeralds mainly for their appearance. But without chemical and spectroscopic analyses, this remained an assumption. The new work closes this gap: researchers have confirmed the mineralogical nature of the stones and linked them to Colombian sources.

It also adds to the broader picture of ancient exchanges in the region. It was not only local objects that travelled to Panama, but also prestigious materials from other zones. By about the eleventh century, such imported status items, including emeralds and pyrite mirrors, disappear from central Panama. This may reflect changes in the political influence of local elites and in the exchange networks themselves, although this conclusion requires further research.

Source

Research: Carlos Mayo Torné, Julia Mayo Torné, Alexa Hancock, Alfredo Campos, Eleicer Ching, Hanna Fenández, Hector Miranda, "Evidence of Emerald Long-Distance Exchange in the Isthmo-Colombian Area," Latin American Antiquity, 2026.