Ancient Bolivia

Bolivian Sites:

Prehistoric Bolivia:

Article: (2008. Reuters):

Archeologists have begun digging at an ancient ceremonial site in eastern Bolivia to piece together the rites and daily life of cultures dating as far back as 3,000 years ago.

'Locals stumbled upon the remains while clearing the ground to build a new market in the picturesque town of Copacabana, a tourist hotspot on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Many of the unearthed tombs, textiles, clay pots and jewellery belonged to the well-documented Tiahuanaco and Inca cultures that populated the area hundreds of years ago.

But some relics go back as far as 3,000 years, when a little-known religious tradition called Yayamama is thought to have flourished in the Andes. "They carved sculptures [in stone] with a man on one side and a woman on the other," said archaeologist Sergio Chavez, who works for Central Michigan University.

The sculptures, which also feature two-headed snakes and geometric shapes, are still revered by local indigenous groups.The Yayamama built a series of small temples by the lake, each two hours by foot from the other, Chavez told Reuters. (1).

Featured Bolivian Locations:

Tiahuanaco: 'City of the Gods'

Tiahuanaco sits in the Bolivian Andes at a height of over 12,500 ft. It was once one of the most significant complexes in the pre Columbian Americas.

Inca tradition spoke of the founding Inca male and female coming to Cuzco from the 'Island of the Sun' on Lake Titicaca, nearby.

(More about Tiahuanaco)

Puma Punku: The Door of the Puma.

The structure known as the Puma Punka is still littered with giant, precisely shaped blocks, many of which appear machine made. The so-called 'port' of Tiahuanaco, called Puma Punku or "Door of the Puma," which is often quoted to have once been a wharf with a massive four-part building, is an area filled with enormous stone blocks scattered around on the ground as though the result of a catastrophic event. Several of the bocks are estimated to weigh between 100 and 150 tons.

(More about Puma Punku)

Samaipata (El Fuerte): The ruins of Samaipata consist of two parts: A stone hill covered with carvings of jaguars, snakes, zoomorphic and geometrical figures, and a water tank with conduits, and an area to the south of the stone hill that seems to have been the administrative and residential district.

These tracks were carved from the top of the hill. They have a provisional similarity to European cart-ruts. The hill is said to be the largest carved rock in the world.

(More about Samaipata)

Fuente Magna:

This 'libation' bowl, with cuneiform hieroglyphs on it was discovered in the 1950's near Tiahuanaco.

The authenticity of the bowl is challenged by sceptics who claim it to be fabricated by archaeologists. It now resides in the Museo De Oro, La Paz.

(More about the Fuente Magna)

(Pre-Columbian America Homepage)

References:

1). http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=b9522ae5-c6db-4614-82e0-3b1a55d64777

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