Penn's Landing in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Sphere
⎯⎯⎯
Esfera
Sphere
Granite
Diameter: 4' 6" / 6' 6"
A.D. 300 - 1525
Near Palmar Sur, Delta of the Disquis River, Costa Rica
Largest of the monolithic stone spheres from ancient Middle America are those of Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast. Some reach eight feet in diameter and more than sixteen tons in weight, but vary less than a quarter-inch from a perfect sphere in shape.
The stone, not found locally had to be transported from the mountains by river through the dense tropical forests.
Stone spheres are also found in central Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala and Puerto Rico. On the southern Gulf coast of Mexico one is at the Olmec site of San Lorenzo, dating before 950 B.C.
In the Disquis Delta, small spheres were placed in graves. Larger ones were on platforms or grouped in patterns or lines of as many as fifteen spheres, possibly astronomical alignments. Local people still value them highly without knowing the religious or magical purposes for which they were originally made.
Obtained by the Fairmount Park Art Association through
this page online
Esfera
Granito
Diametro: 1.38 m; 1.98 m
300 - 1525 d.C.
Cerca de Palmar Sur Delta del río Disquís Costa Rica
Las más grandes de las esferas monolíticas provenientes de la Meso-América antigua son las de la costa pacífica del sur de Costa Rica. Algunas alcanzan un diámetro de ocho pies y un peso de más de diez y seis toneladas pero desvían en forma menos de un cuarto de una pulgada de una esfera perfecta.
La piedra, que no se encuentra en la region de la delta, tiene que haber sido transportada desde las montanãs río o a través de la selva.
Esferas de piedra se encuentran también en la región central de Costa Rica, en Honduras, Guatemala y Puerto Rico. Hay una en la costa golfeña del sur de México, en el sitio olmeca de San Lorenzo, que data de antes de 950 a.C.
En la delta del Disquís se colocaban las esferas pequeñas en sepulturas. Las grandes, a veces en gruops de hasta quince esferas, se ponían en plataformas o se arreglaban en líneas o diseños, posiblemente alinemientos astronómicos. Los residentes de la region todavia dan mucah importancia a las esferas sin conocer las intenciones religiosas o magicas para las cuales fueron hechas.
Obtenida por
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), December 12, 2025
2. Sphere / Esfera Marker embedded into the concrete on the right
Erected by Fairmount Park Art Association.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Anthropology & Archaeology • Arts, Letters, Music • Indigenous Peoples and Communities. A significant historical year for this entry is 1525.
Location. 39° 56.651′ N, 75° 8.498′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Penn's Landing. It can be reached from the intersection of South Christopher Columbus Boulevard and Spruce Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 301 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia PA 19106, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Pennsylvania. It is also in the American Northeast and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, New Netherland, and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Five Spouts, Frog and Lintel (a few steps from this marker); Local 8, Industrial Workers of the World (within shouting distance of this marker); U. S. S. Trigger - SS 237 (within shouting distance of this marker); Peace-Time Submariners Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Christopher Columbus (within shouting distance of this marker); Still on Patrol (within shouting distance of this marker); A Visit from the President (within shouting distance of this marker); Olympia's Guns & Turrets (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 14, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 14, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 85 times since then and 53 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 14, 2025, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
