Acla facts for kids
Acla was an old town founded by the Spanish in 1515. It was located on the coast of what is now Guna Yala, in the northeast of Panamá. The town was created by order of Pedrarias Dávila, who was the governor of a Spanish territory called Castilla de Oro.
The name Acla means bones of men in the local native language. People say this name came from the many bones found on the nearby plains. These bones were supposedly from fights between two native brothers who wanted to become the chiefs of the area.
Why was Acla built?
Acla was mainly set up to be the starting point on the Caribbean side of a new trail. This trail was planned to go all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Ocean had just been discovered by a famous explorer named Vasco Núñez de Balboa. The trail was supposed to end at a new town on the Gulf of San Miguel.
Balboa's Fate in Acla
Acla is most famous because it was the place where Vasco Núñez de Balboa was put to death in 1519. Governor Dávila ordered his trial and execution.
The End of Acla
The area around Acla had a very unhealthy climate and difficult land. Also, new and more important towns like Panama City and Nombre de Dios were founded just a few months later. Because of these reasons, people slowly started to leave Acla. By 1532, the town was completely empty. However, a document from 1535 mentions an attack on Acla, so it might have still been known for a little longer.
See also
In Spanish: Acla para niños
