ARCHAEOLOGY IN COLOMBIA

Colombian archaeology is based in material features of Muiscas, Tayrona, Quimbayas, San Agustín and Calima cultures who left many remains, constructions, objects. Nowadays, they are archaeological and cultural richness of Colombia.

San Agustín Archaeological Park

San Agustin archaeological park, one of the most important archaeological places, is located betwen San Agustin and San José de Isnos municipalities, in the south of Huila department.

It was declared cultural heritage on December 1995. It is an impressive place loaded of history and mystery, since reflects culture, myths and beliefs through sculpture. it contains enormous statues plenty of symbolism and abstraction.

The sculptures characterizes by their originality and big sizes. It has a collection of 400 stone statues; they include animal statues as felines, monkeys, snakes, frogs, eagles and owls.

The most representative sculptures of San Agustin are:
El doble yo: It is a warrior representation
El Partero: It is 4 meters high; it is a statue that receives a child from its feet.
Eagle: with a snake in its talons.
Interesting places in the park:

• Lavapatas fountain has a statue of a frog supported of an enormous rock.
• El Tablón.
• El Alto de Lavapatas.
• La Chaquira.
• El Alto de las Piedras.
• El Alto de los Ídolos.

It could be appreciated a forest o statues, a path where are 35 statues comes from different places of the region.

Ciudad Perdida (Lost City)

Ciudad Perdida is another object of archaeological research; was discovered in Sierra Nevada; its population corresponded to X and XV century. Actually, cultures as Koquis and Armarios live surroundings.    

It is located in Magdalena department, 34 Km away from Santa Marta on the bank of Buritaca River. It is one of the most beautiful places of South America, since is in the middle of exuberant jungle. It was declared cultural heritage and obtained fifth position as one of the seven worlds of Colombia.

It could be observed many rebuilt ruins of pre- historic villages, a sample of architecture and engineering in stone. It includes terraces, retaining walls, roads, bridges, stone steps and channels. Some ceremonial centres, houses and places of storage.

Thanks to archaeological researches; more than 3000 archaeological villages of different sizes were registered in the coast and Sierra zones.

Archaeological Park of Monquirá

It is known as “El infiernito”; located 5Km. away from Leiva in Boyacá department.
Inside there are 30 columns of phallic stones and more than one hundred small columns that were built 2200 years ago.

Some anthropologists believe that this place was destined to worship and fertility rituals, others think it was astronomical observatory.
Nowadays, there are many researches about origin and purpose of the stone columns.

Capulí Archaeological Site

The discoveries are in Ipiales. They are excavations from 22 to 40 meters deep.
Inside graves, there are ceramic objects painted in black and red with different animal and geometrical pictures and axes of polish stone.

Calima Culture

It is designated Calime culture to a group of ancient cultures who lived in Valley of Cauca and didn’t coexist simultaneously. It is believed that they corresponded to XV century A.D.

The region has hills, abundant water and warm climate; covers the municipalities of: Restrepo, Calima- Dairen and part of Rocoto and Vijes zones.

The archaeological remains are cultural richness that belonged to human settlements; among them, we can see rock art, houses, graves, ceramic and silver works. You can also see sculpted draws on the rocks, graves, a great amount of vessels provided of realism.