We’ve all heard of the mystical and wondrous ancient
civilizations of Mesoamerica and South America: The Maya, Olmecs,
Aztecs, and the Inca. But one culture that developed on the
southern end of Lake Titicaca in present-day western Bolivia near
the border with Peru left behind ruins so monumental they
continue to intrigue archaeologists and spark hypotheses of
anachronistic, advanced technologies. The Inca referred to
Lake Titicaca as their origin place. The culture that
evolved in the region became known as Yaya-Mama, or
“Father-Mother,” for the sculptures depicting dualistic
Male-Female opposites. The remains of the capital city for
this society are now known as Tiwanaku, one of the most
significant archaeological sites in South America.
Beginning as a small village in the BCE period, Tiwanaku grew to
an enormous metropolis for its time. Peaking around 700 to
1000 CE, with a population near 40,000 and as many as 500,000
people settling in the high plains valley, what remains is a
little over one and a half square miles of artifacts such as
impressively carved stone gates and monolith statues, artisan
ceramics, and quality metalwork. But perhaps the most
awe-inspiring remnants are found at a particular spot within
Tiwanaku called Pumapunku. Translating as “Gate of the
Puma,” archaeologists define Pumapunku as a ceremonial and elite
residential complex constructed in the typical fashion of a
sunken court surrounded by plazas and ramps, sitting on a
terraced platform mound. Yet what makes Pumapunku stand out
from other similarly designed sites is the sophisticated masonry
of its massive stone blocks ranging in size from 30 to 130
tons. Baffling as it is to imagine how these stones may
have been quarried and moved great distances, it’s even more
unaccountable how the Tiwanaku were able to cut the blocks so
precisely they fit like interlocking puzzle pieces. This
feat has some guessing the lost techniques were known only to
them or even guided by otherworldly visitors. With
construction beginning between 500 and 600 CE and rebuilt over
the following centuries, the city would fall just as
mysteriously, sometime around 1000 CE. Whether from natural
disaster, withering from internal strife, or some violent end,
Pumapunku and Tiwanaku leave us with one of the world’s great
archaeological enigmas. Tonight, we unearth the artifacts
and culture of a city once known by the Aymara people of the
Bolivian Andes as “stone in the center,” meaning the center of
the world.
Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode!
Kommentare (0)
Melde dich an, um einen Kommentar zu schreiben.