Casa del Cordón opens 2026 with discussion on the mysteries of the Cotton Cemí

Santo Domingo.- The Casa del Cordón Taíno Cultural Center, an initiative of Banco Popular Dominicano, will open its 2026 program of activities on Wednesday, January 14, at 7:00 p.m., with a high-level academic discussion titled “The Twin of the Cotton Cemí: New Ways of Understanding Its Mysteries.” The event will take place in the courtyard of the cultural center and will be moderated by cultural advisor José Enrique Delmonte.

The discussion will feature Bernardo Vega, economist, historian, and anthropologist, and Manuel García Arévalo, historian, archaeologist, and president of the García Arévalo Foundation. The panel will continue a dialogue initiated in August 2025, focusing on how technological advances, such as 3D digitization, virtual modeling, and interactive visualization, have expanded research and public access to this emblematic Taíno artifact, based on studies conducted by the University of Turin.

These tools allow for deeper technical and symbolic analysis of the cotton cemí while making its digital representation accessible without the need to travel to Europe, where the original piece is located. The activity aligns with the mission of the Casa del Cordón Taíno Cultural Center to promote the study, preservation, and dissemination of the indigenous heritage of Hispaniola.

Located in one of the oldest stone houses in the New World, the center houses a permanent exhibition of more than 350 pre-Hispanic archaeological pieces from the García Arévalo Foundation. Through discussions, exhibitions, and educational programs, Casa del Cordón continues to position itself as a space where history, technology, and community converge to strengthen cultural awareness and heritage preservation.