Caledonia Bay

archaeological site, Panama

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June 22, 2026

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Caledonia Bay, located in Panama, is an archaeological site significant for its 17th-century Scottish colonial remains. It was the location of New Caledonia, a settlement established by a Scottish colony. The site also includes the shipwreck of the Olive Branch, which sank in 1699, and the fortification of Fort St. Andrew, used between 1698 and 1700. These historical remnants were discovered by archaeologists in 1979. Caledonia Bay is situated within the Gulf of Darién, an extension of the Caribbean Sea that borders Panama and Colombia.1

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Gulf of Darién
…Panama coast of the gulf, Caledonia Bay is the site of remains of a 17th-century Scottish colony (New Caledonia), a shipwreck (the Olive Branch, sunk 1699), and a fortification (Fort St. Andrew, in use 1698–1700), all of which were discovered by archaeologists in 1979.
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…Panama coast of the gulf, Caledonia Bay is the site of remains of a 17th-century Scottish colony (New Caledonia), a shipwreck (the Olive Branch, sunk 1699), and a fortification (Fort St. Andrew, in use 1698–1700), all of which were discovered by archaeologists in 1979.
Read More