Las Palmas complex facts for kids

The Las Palmas complex is a name given by archaeologists to a group of ancient people who lived in the Cape region of Baja California Sur, Mexico. We know about them mainly from how they buried their dead.

These people often buried their dead in caves or under rock overhangs. They used a special way of burial called "secondary burial." This means they would bury the body once, and then later, they would dig up the bones and bury them again in a different way. A unique thing about these burials is that the bones were often painted with a red powder called ochre.

Scientists noticed that the skulls found in these burials were very long and narrow. This led some experts to think that the people of the Las Palmas complex might have been an early group of settlers in the Americas. Others think they might have come from across the Pacific Ocean much later. These people are believed to be the ancestors of the Pericú people, who lived in the same area when Europeans first arrived.

The Las Palmas people used various tools and items. These included stone basins for grinding food, atlatls (which are tools used to throw spears with more force), and different types of woven items. They made nets using a special knot called a "lark's-head knot." They also created baskets by coiling materials and made containers by sewing together pieces of palm bark.

Who Discovered the Las Palmas Complex?

The unique burial customs of the Las Palmas complex were first noticed in the late 1800s. Two researchers, Herman ten Kate and Léon Diguet, were among the first to describe them. Later, an archaeologist named William C. Massey studied the Las Palmas complex in much more detail. His work helped us understand more about these ancient people and their way of life.