Top Archaeological Sites In South America
The culture of South America is one that has a varied and interesting history, but for many people,the real interest here doesn't lie in the colonial period but in the culture of the native people whooriginally inhabited the continent. The Inca civilization is probably the most famous of the peoplewho have lived in South America, but archaeological excavations have exposed many differenttypes of sites from across the ages on the continent. As the centuries ebbed and flowed many of thegreat cities of these cultures were forgotten, before being rediscovered and brought to the attentionof the world. For professionals and enthusiasts alike, South America is a treasure trove of importantarchaeological sites.
The discovery of the hilltop city of Machu Picchu at the start of the twentieth century was one ofthe most important discoveries in archaeology since the exploration of Egypt, and this dramatic sitestill captures the imagination of thousands of visitors every year. The stepped terraces that are cutinto the steep slopes here made it possible for the Incas of the fifteenth century to build this city inan almost impregnable location. The restoration of the site has been progressing for over a centurysince it was first revealed to the world by American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911.
Visitors going to Machu Picchu today will see that many of the outlying buildings have beenreconstructed, while other parts of the site still have ongoing archaeological work. The work ofthe Incan stonemasons who cut the stones is still impressive today, and although it is in a remotelocation, there is no doubt that Machu Picchu is the jewel in the crown for Peruvian tourism.
Lying in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, the remoteness of this archaeological site helpedto keep it a secret from the outside world until it was discovered in 1972 by a group of treasurehunters. The site itself is believed to be around six centuries older than Machu Picchu, withevidence that it was founded around the start of the ninth century. Ciudad Perdida is simply theSpanish translation of 'Lost City', although the native tribes know the site as Teyuna.
Despite the growth in interest in the site, its remote location and the fact that it can only be accessedby a long trek mean that it is still quite a quiet tourist site, with over one thousand two hundredsteps taking visitors through the jungle to the site. Many of the terraces on the site have beenexposed, and visitors can see a small number of carvings that have been discovered along with anumber of open plazas that offer stunning views over the surrounding valleys.
The Serra Da Capivara National Park is located in the inland north east of Brazil, and is particularlynotable because it is home to some of the oldest known sites of human habitation in South America.The steep sided valleys of the park have a large network of caves where rock art left by the nativesat the time can be seen. These are impressive both because of their images and the fact that someare estimated to date from up to fifty thousand years ago. There is a nearby museum that givesvisitors an insight into the full facts about the site, and the civilization that would have occupiedthese caves over thousands of years.
The ancient city of Chan Chan is located on the north west coast of Peru near the modern city of Trujillo, and is the largest known city to date from the pre-colonial period in South America.
Excavations have revealed ten walled citadels on the site, and an intricate network of canals thatbrought water from a nearby river into the city, and several large water reserves within the city.Some of the most impressive aspects of the site are to be found on the walls of some of thesebuildings, where beautiful carvings of men, animals and patterns have been revealed.
The network of tombs to be found on the site of Tierradentro near the south west coast of Colombiais one of the most impressive in the world, with each network of tombs located between five andeight metres beneath the surface. Within these tombs the artisans who created and decorated eachone create a central chamber that looks like the traditional Colombian homes, with several smallerlinked chambers actually containing the tombs. It is believed these tombs were built between thesixth and tenth centuries, with the remote mountainous locations helping the site to remain hiddenfor over a thousand years.
1. Machu Picchu, Peru
The discovery of the hilltop city of Machu Picchu at the start of the twentieth century was one ofthe most important discoveries in archaeology since the exploration of Egypt, and this dramatic sitestill captures the imagination of thousands of visitors every year. The stepped terraces that are cutinto the steep slopes here made it possible for the Incas of the fifteenth century to build this city inan almost impregnable location. The restoration of the site has been progressing for over a centurysince it was first revealed to the world by American historian Hiram Bingham in 1911.
Visitors going to Machu Picchu today will see that many of the outlying buildings have beenreconstructed, while other parts of the site still have ongoing archaeological work. The work ofthe Incan stonemasons who cut the stones is still impressive today, and although it is in a remotelocation, there is no doubt that Machu Picchu is the jewel in the crown for Peruvian tourism.
2. Ciudad Perdida, Colombia
Lying in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains, the remoteness of this archaeological site helpedto keep it a secret from the outside world until it was discovered in 1972 by a group of treasurehunters. The site itself is believed to be around six centuries older than Machu Picchu, withevidence that it was founded around the start of the ninth century. Ciudad Perdida is simply theSpanish translation of 'Lost City', although the native tribes know the site as Teyuna.
Despite the growth in interest in the site, its remote location and the fact that it can only be accessedby a long trek mean that it is still quite a quiet tourist site, with over one thousand two hundredsteps taking visitors through the jungle to the site. Many of the terraces on the site have beenexposed, and visitors can see a small number of carvings that have been discovered along with anumber of open plazas that offer stunning views over the surrounding valleys.
3. Serra Da Capivara, Brazil
The Serra Da Capivara National Park is located in the inland north east of Brazil, and is particularlynotable because it is home to some of the oldest known sites of human habitation in South America.The steep sided valleys of the park have a large network of caves where rock art left by the nativesat the time can be seen. These are impressive both because of their images and the fact that someare estimated to date from up to fifty thousand years ago. There is a nearby museum that givesvisitors an insight into the full facts about the site, and the civilization that would have occupiedthese caves over thousands of years.
4. Chan Chan, Peru
The ancient city of Chan Chan is located on the north west coast of Peru near the modern city of Trujillo, and is the largest known city to date from the pre-colonial period in South America.
Excavations have revealed ten walled citadels on the site, and an intricate network of canals thatbrought water from a nearby river into the city, and several large water reserves within the city.Some of the most impressive aspects of the site are to be found on the walls of some of thesebuildings, where beautiful carvings of men, animals and patterns have been revealed.
5. Tierradentro, Colombia
The network of tombs to be found on the site of Tierradentro near the south west coast of Colombiais one of the most impressive in the world, with each network of tombs located between five andeight metres beneath the surface. Within these tombs the artisans who created and decorated eachone create a central chamber that looks like the traditional Colombian homes, with several smallerlinked chambers actually containing the tombs. It is believed these tombs were built between thesixth and tenth centuries, with the remote mountainous locations helping the site to remain hiddenfor over a thousand years.
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