Archaeologists 'disturbing' discovery on top of 2,000 year old pyramid

Five ancient clay figurines were unearthed on top of a ruined pyramid at the San Isidro site in El Salvador — marking a significant archaeological breakthrough.

The discovery was made by Jan Szymaski and Gabriela Prejs, two archaeologists from the University of Warsaw. According to the journal Antiquity, the items are known as Bolinas figurines and are extremely rare puppet-like artifacts.

Previously, they've been found at an early Maya site Tak'alik Ab'aj in Guatemala.

These clay puppets, over 2,000 years old, could provide new insights into an ancient Mesoamerican society. Carbon dating has determined that these five figurines were created between 410 and 380 B.C.E.

All of the recently discovered Bolinas figurines feature open mouths and vary in size from a few inches to about a foot tall. The three larger figurines have detachable heads and small holes in their necks and skulls.

The researchers speculate that a string was threaded through the neck and tied at the top of the head, allowing the figurine to be manipulated like a primitive puppet.

Speaking to ScienceLink's Lizzie Wade about the figurines, Jan Szymaski said: "They are clay actors. When you hold them in your hand, sometimes they even look creepy because of their vivid expressions.

"Very little is known about the identities and ethnolinguistic affiliations of the creators of ancient settlements that predate the arrival of Europeans in the early 16th century. This gets worse the further back in time we look. This finding is only the second such a group found in situ, and the first to feature a male figure."

El Salvador's pre-Columbian history remains largely enigmatic compared to its neighboring countries, as per a statement from Antiquity. The country's dense population and millennia of volcanic activity have led to significant damage and burial of archaeological sites.

Artifacts similar to those unearthed at San Isidro have been discovered in Guatemala and other parts of El Salvador, as well as in modern-day Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica. This suggests that the ancient inhabitants of San Isidro may have had connections with distant communities.

The San Isidro site, primarily composed of clay structures erected by an unidentified group, remains largely unexplored. The Bolinas figurines were discovered by researchers while excavating the summit of the site's largest pyramidal structure.

The researchers speculate that these multifunctional Bolinas figurines might have played a role in "rituals that would involve recreation of some actual events or mythical events," Szymaski told IFL Science's Benjamin Taub.

"This discovery contradicts the prevailing notion about El Salvador's cultural backwardness or isolation in ancient times," Szymaski added. "It reveals the existence of vibrant and far-reaching communities capable of exchanging ideas with remarkably distant places."