Caguana Site

About

Spanning 10 ceremonial ball courts and dozens of petroglyph-adorned monoliths, the Centro Ceremonial Indígena Caguana is one of the most important Pre-Columbian sites in the West Indies. Created as early as the 13th century, Caguana was used until the arrival of the Spanish and subsequent decimation of the Taino culture. While documentation of the “batey” ball game is limited, it was something akin to volleyball without the net using basically every body part except the hands, played with a bouncy ball. The ball courts themselves are aligned with specific astronomical events, suggesting it was both a place of observation and ceremony. This unique glimpse of indigenous culture is made even better by the small on-site museum which exhibits native artifacts, and even has a botanical garden with flora traditionally used by the Taino. Please note: the $5 entrance fee is not included.