New excavations at the San Agustín Archaeological Park in Colombia have revealed deep ceremonial pits at the base of the park's famous "Jaguar-Man" statues. Within these pits, researchers found a cache of obsidian blades and mineral-based pigments, suggesting the statues were the focal point of rebirth festivals celebrated by the San Agustín culture around 500 BC.
Evidence of large-scale communal feasting was also found nearby, including specialized ceramic vessels used for serving fermented maize beverages. This indicates that the stone guardians were part of a larger ritual landscape designed for public gatherings and seasonal transitions, rather than being purely funerary monuments as previously thought.