El Nancito Petroglyphs

On a hillside near Remedios in eastern Chiriquí, a scatter of large boulders carries carvings pecked into their surfaces: spirals, concentric circles, human and animal figures and grid patterns, attributed to pre-Columbian populations and not securely dated. Dozens of decorated stones are spread across the slope. A small interpretation centre operates in the village below. The site is open hillside with little shade. Nothing at the site is fenced or roofed, so the stones sit in the open as they have for centuries, weathering with every rainy season that passes over them.

What you actually see

• The carved boulders - dozens of decorated stones spread across the slope.
• The motifs - spirals, circles, figures and grid patterns pecked into the rock.
• The hillside setting - the open slope the boulders are scattered across.
• The village centre - the small interpretation point below the site.

When to go

December to April is drier and easier underfoot. Early morning gives the best raking light on the carvings. Grass grows high in the wet season.

Honest expectations

Carvings are weathered and hard to make out in flat light. The site is unshaded and hot. The interpretation centre keeps irregular hours.

Nearby

Remedios is nearby, and Las Lajas Beach is southwest.