Confirmed: Pre-Columbian treasure discovered during the construction of an airport in Colombia, predating the Spanish conquest.

News: Archaeological Specimen Found During Airport Expansion During the expansion work on the runway at the Golfo de Morrosquillo airport in Tolú, Sucre, an archaeological specimen was discovered. Pre-Columbian treasure unearthed during the expansion of the runway at the Golfo de Morrosquillo airport in Tolú. Photo: Private Archive. REPORTER May 11, 2026, 11:51 AM Updated: May 11, 2026, 11:51 AM While work was being carried out on the expansion of the runway at the Golfo de Morrosquillo airport in Tolú, Sucre, workers discovered archaeological pieces that triggered a full-scale operation led by the Civil Aviation Authority. As a preventive measure, the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH) had already recovered more than 360,000 ceramic fragments from the subsoil of Sucre. Now, with this new discovery, the agencies will work to determine the origin of the pieces, which are estimated to be pre-Columbian, dating before the Spanish conquest. READ ALSO: Pre-Columbian treasure unearthed during the expansion of the runway at the Golfo de Morrosquillo airport in Tolú. Photo: Private Archive. This new discovery was made at a depth of 120 to 130 centimeters, between fine sands and in an area with high humidity. Despite the conditions in which the pieces were found, their state of preservation is good. According to the Civil Aviation Authority, due to their condition, "it was not possible to clearly identify the shape of the funerary structure." READ ALSO: Pre-Columbian treasure unearthed during the expansion of the runway at the Golfo de Morrosquillo airport in Tolú. Photo: Private Archive. In addition, it is considered that the soil "likely caused a translocation of the skeletal remains, thereby altering the original position of the individual." Nevertheless, the condition of the skeleton allows for bioarchaeological studies to determine sex, age, height, diet, and chronology. Fifteen archaeologists and 127 workers are currently in the area where the skeletal remains were found, and where some pieces had already been recovered. The Civil Aviation Authority assures that the archaeological work is being carried out "under technical and regulatory guidelines for the protection of archaeological heritage, in conjunction with the development of the airport infrastructure." Follow all the information from Colombia on Facebook and Twitter, or in our weekly newsletter. EL TIEMPO NEWSLETTERS Register for our newsletters and receive news in your email according to your interests. Stay informed with what really matters to you. EL TIEMPO GOOGLE NEWS Follow us on GOOGLE NEWS. Stay always updated with the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on Google News. EL TIEMPO WHATSAPP Join the El Tiempo channel on WhatsApp to stay up-to-date with the most relevant news at the moment. EL TIEMPO APP Stay informed with the EL TIEMPO app. Receive the latest news, coverage, stories, and analysis directly on your device. SUBSCRIBE TO THE DIGITAL EDITION Reliable information for you. Subscribe to EL TIEMPO and access our journalistic content without limits.