These striking puppets suggest that Indigenous people in what is now El Salvador had rituals that were more connected to the rest of Central American culture than previously thought.

Archaeologists in El Salvador have uncovered five ancient clay puppets atop a pyramid at San Isidro, suggesting a vast cultural network.

"One of the most striking features of the puppets is their dramatic facial expressions," said archaeologist Jan Szymański.

Archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery atop a pyramid in San Isidro, El Salvador—a set of 2,400-year-old ceramic puppets. According to the research team, these mysterious and expressive puppets may have played a role in ancient public rituals.

This was a kiln-er find. Puppets with remarkable facial features believed to date back some 2,400 years have been discovered at the top of an ancient pyramid in the jungle of El Salvador. The incredible find suggests that indigenous Salvadorians had a much closer connection to the wider ancient Mesoamerican world than previously thought,

A remarkable collection of five pre-Hispanic clay puppets with rotating heads has been discovered in El Salvador. Aside from the expert craftsmanship that went into making the items, the ancient figurines are notable for the context in which they were found - atop the largest pyramid at the mysterious site of San Isidro.