In 1975, when hurricane Eloise hit Puerto Rico, it unleashed floods and mudslides that uncovered an ancient ceremonial center used by the indigenous people of Puerto Rico. One day after the flood waters had subsided, a farmer was out looking for wood to make charcoal when he discovered the evidence of an ancient culture. The site was later named the Indigenous Ceremonial Center of Tibes and is the oldest site of its kind in the Caribbean.
Over the decades since its discovery, many scientists from various different disciplines have worked together to piece together the culture and history of the people who inhabited this area. Radiocarbon dating shows the site was inhabited as early as 400AD until about 1270AD. This period is broken down into 2 major time periods, the Saldoid (500AD – 900AD) and the Elenoid (900AD – 1200AD). Excavation of the site has revealed 7 ball courts, a main plaza, 2 burial sites, and several shell middens (garbage dumps). Scientists believe the two burial sites, one found under a ball court and one under the plaza, date back to the Saldoid period and the ball courts, plaza, and most of the middens date to the Elenoid period.
The ball courts were used to play a game in which there were two teams and the goal of the players was to keep the ball from touching the ground without using their hands. The ball would be lobbed back and forth between the two teams. Some of the courts they found were rectangular in shape and others were the shape of a horseshoe. All had some form of stone border marking the boundaries.
Today there is a museum on the site which you can visit that depicts what life looked like when the area was inhabited by the Taíno Indians. There are plenty of artifacts and exhibits you can see as well as the ball courts and plaza which you can explore. Admission is $3.