admin A country full of mystery, South America is considered the least explored continent on earth. Ancient civilizations such as Egypt are widely understood, and regions such as Mesoamerica and Southeast Asia are well understood, but a whopping 95% of the sites in South America and the civilizations that produced them remain undiscovered. Estimated.
Peru is undoubtedly the center of these ancient cultures. From the famous Incas who lived in the cloud city of Cusco to Chico Norte, perhaps the world’s oldest urban building civilization, Peru presents a rich tapestry of interwoven and competing cultures. This work distances itself from the Peru already featured and delves into the mystical wonders hidden in South America’s vast landscapes, from the towering Andes to the lush jungles of the Amazon.
Let’s embark on a journey to uncover seven of South America’s most intriguing finds.
1. The Muisca and their Sacred Pool: A Golden Mystery
Bogota’s Museo d’Oro (Museum of Gold) safeguards invaluable artifacts of the Muisca culture. The Balsa Muisca, a golden raft model of a ceremony held at Lake Guatavita in central Colombia, takes center stage. The Muisca considered the lake an entrance to the underworld, bestowing its depths with valuable treasures, which still lie concealed beneath the surface.
2. Brazilian Rainforest Earthworks: The Jungle’s Hidden Imprints
We often visualize the Brazilian Amazon as pristine rainforest, untouched by human influence. However, recent studies unveil a different reality. Indigenous tribes have led semi-nomadic lives in the rainforest for centuries, leaving their mark on the land through agriculture, letting the jungle regenerate once they moved on. As deforestation continues, unusual ditches have been unearthed, with theories hinting at undiscovered cities nestled deep in the jungle’s heart.
3. Tiawanaku: An Echo from an Ancient Civilization
On the other side of Lake Titicaca from Peru, nestled within Bolivia, lie the spectacular ruins of Tiawanaku, the Inca’s direct predecessors and formidable rivals to the Wari. As one of South America’s most expansive archaeological sites, Tiawanaku thrived around 800 AD, possibly housing up to 20,000 inhabitants. The site exhibits intriguing similarities with seemingly unconnected Mesoamerican cultures, including gateways to the Moon and Sun.
4. Jesuit Missions of Argentina: Modern Ruins
Not all ruins in South America are from ancient times. The Jesuit missionary advance into Argentina’s heartland left a trail of decayed churches and monasteries, particularly among the interior Guarani people. After 150 years of preaching and converting the indigenous population, the Jesuits’ sacred sites were abandoned following their expulsion by a Spanish edict in 1767.
5. Moai: Stone Sentinels of Easter Island
Carved by the Rapa Nui people from 1250 to 1500 AD, the Moai are monolithic human figures that adorn Easter Island. Hundreds of these imposing statues were crafted and transported to stone platforms around the island’s periphery. However, half of them still reside in Rano Raraku, their original quarry. These statues symbolize the spirits of high-ranking chiefs and ancestors, embodying both political and religious power.
6. Cueva de los Manos, Argentina
The Cueva de los Manos, also known as the Cave of Hands, is a cave located in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. It is famous for its paintings, most notably those that depict numerous hands. These stenciled outlines of human hands are thought to date back between 9,500 to 13,000 years ago, during the late Paleolithic and early Neolithic periods.
The cave gets its name from these paintings. ‘Cueva de los Manos’ means ‘Cave of the Hands’ in Spanish. Besides hands, other drawings in the cave include depictions of human beings, guanacos (a camelid native to South America), rheas (an ostrich-like bird), and other animals, as well as hunting scenes. The peoples who lived in the area during this period were hunter-gatherers, and the art provides valuable insights into their lifestyle and culture.
The Cave of Hands was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999 for its cultural significance and its excellent representation of the art and life of early human societies in South America.
7. The Lost City of the Tayrona
The Lost City, also known as Ciudad Perdida or Teyuna, is an ancient city in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. It is believed to have been founded by the Tayrona people around 800 CE, approximately 650 years earlier than Machu Picchu. The city was an important urban center, possibly serving as the political and manufacturing hub of the region, with a population of around 2,000-8,000 people.
The Tayrona civilization was known for its network of paved roads, terraces, stairs, and walls, many of which remain in the Lost City. The city was abandoned during the Spanish Conquest and was swallowed by the jungle, remaining undiscovered until the 1970s. It was initially found by treasure looters, but official recognition and archaeological investigation didn’t begin until later.
The Lost City is now considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Colombia. Reaching this site requires several days of trekking through the jungle, but many tourists and history buffs make the journey to see this stunning historic site firsthand.
Tucked away in a corner of South America, each of these mysterious relics and sacred sites reveals a compelling narrative of our common history that points to the profound complexity and progress of our ancient cultures. Their findings arouse curiosity and challenge us to further explore and interpret our collective past.
