Latte Stone Park (Santos Memorial Park) (Hagåtña)

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Latte Stones are pillars on which ancient Chamorro houses were constructed as early as 500 A.D. Found nowhere else in the world, Latte Stones have become a signature of Guam and the Northern Marianas Islands. Original Latte Stones were comprised of two pieces, a supporting column (halagi), made from coral limestone, and topped with a capstone (tasa), made from coral heads which were usually carried several miles from the quarry site or reef to the house. Customarily, bones of the ancient Chamorros and their possessions, such as jewelry or canoes were buried below the stones. Latte Stones are respected and are untouched. Human interlopers at Latte sites may encounter Taotaomoa, or ancestral Chamorro spirits. Today, many Latte sites can be found in Northern Guam. Replicas and images of Latte Stones can also be seen all around the Marianas. Shown here are eight Latte Stones located in Latte Stone Park in central Hagatna where they were transferred from their original location in Me'pu in Guam's Southern interior.

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