Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center

Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes
Taíno village at Tibes
Map
Established30 April 1982[1]
LocationRoad PR-503
Sector La Vega de Taní
Barrio Tibes
Ponce, Puerto Rico
TypeArcheology museum
Visitors60,000–80,000 per year[2]
DirectorJosé Reyes Feliciano (default Director)[2]
OwnerAutonomous Municipality of Ponce
Websitevisitponce.com/projects/parque-indigena-tibes
Centro Ceremonial Indígena
Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center is located in Puerto Rico
Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center
Coordinates18°2′32.05″N 66°37′18.41″W / 18.0422361°N 66.6217806°W / 18.0422361; -66.6217806
Area40 acres (16 ha)
MPSBall court/plaza sites of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
NRHP reference No.78003381[3]
Added to NRHP14 April 1978

The Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center (Spanish: Centro Ceremonial Indígena de Tibes) in Sector La Vega de Taní,[4] Barrio Tibes, Ponce, Puerto Rico, houses one of the most important archaeological discoveries made in the Antilles. The discovery provides an insight as to how the indigenous tribes of the Igneri and Taínos lived and played during and before the arrival of Christopher Columbus to the New World. Tibes is the oldest Antillean Indian ceremonial and sports complex yet uncovered in Puerto Rico. Within its boundaries is also the largest indigenous cemetery discovered to date – consisting of 186 human skeletons, most from the Igneri and the rest from the pre-Taíno cultures.[5] Based on the orientation of the ceremonial plazas, this is also believed to be the oldest astronomical observatory in the Antilles.[6] The museum was established in 1982 and restored in 1991.[7]

  1. ^ Carmelo Rosario Natal. Ponce En Su Historia Moderna: 1945–2002. Published by Secretaría de Cultura y Turismo of the Government of the Autonomous Municipality of Ponce. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 2003. p. 141.
  2. ^ a b En picada el Parque Indígena de Tibes. Reinaldo Millán La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico. 1 May 2013. Year 31. Issue 1535. p. 10. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
  3. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 9 July 2010.
  4. ^ Tibes Cumple Cuatro Decadas. Periódico La Perla del Sur. Ponce, Puerto Rico Year 39. Issue 2004. 27 April – 3 May 2022. p. 7. Accessed 27 April 2022. Archived.
  5. ^ Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center. "Let's Go to Ponce: Insider's Guide to South Puerto Rico." Oldest Antillean ceremonial and sports complex. Also largest indigenous cemetery discovered so far. Retrieved 30 November 2009.
  6. ^ Knowing Our Roots: Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center (Esbozo histórico). By Archaeologist Luis Á. Rodríguez Gracia. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  7. ^ Fundación Puertorriqueña de las Humanidades. Ponce Ciudad Museo 2001. 2001. p. 130.