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On May 20 th, 2022, the population of Natá de los Caballeros officially turned 500 years old. However, the history of this small settlement located on the banks of the Chico River goes way back. This article reviews the archaeological evidence of human occupation around Parita Bay, the background of the population of Nata and its cultural bonds with the neighboring archaeological sites of El Caño and Sitio Conte, two of the most important sites of the region and landmarks in the study of hierarchical societies. The goal is to remember, the millenary history that predates the colonial Natá and to divulge the current state of studies on the pre-Hispanic settlement of the area. Finally, a field assessment of the archaeological sites that are the basis for the study of the pre-Hispanic Natá, its potential and the viability for the development of possible future research in the area is presented. This assessment suggests that the extent of the pre-Hispanic Natá is greater than previously believed and evidences the serious disturbance suffered by the archaeological deposits in the area.
