List of Muisca and pre-Muisca sites explained

This is a list of Muisca and pre-Muisca archaeological sites; sites on the Altiplano Cundiboyacense, where archaeological evidence has been discovered of the Muisca and their ancestors of the Herrera, preceramic and prehistorical periods.

Over the course of the centuries and mainly in the 21st century, many sites with evidences of Muisca and pre-Muisca presence have been found and reported.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

The possibly oldest evidence of human settlement in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes has been discovered just west of the former Muisca territories, at Pubenza in Tocaima, Cundinamarca. Eight stone tools have been found with bone remains, consisting of among others Haplomastodon and turtles, which have been dated at 16,400 ± 420 years BP. Due to the location at an inundated platform, it is unclear if the bones and thus age were in situ.[6] __TOC__

Background

StageStart ageEnd age
Prehistory
Preceramic
Herrera
Muisca
Colonial period
Colombia

See also: Andean preceramic, Herrera Period, Muisca art and Spanish conquest of the Muisca. The Altiplano Cundiboyacense, with its valleys of Sogamoso-Duitama, Tunja and Ubaté-Chiquinquirá and the southeastern flatlands of the Bogotá savanna, as well as the Tenza Valley to the east, was inhabited for 12,000 years by indigenous peoples. At the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors, the area of approximately 25000km2 was populated by the Muisca, organised in a loose confederation; the Muisca Confederation.

While various classifications of the archaeological history of the Andean high plateau exist,[7] the most commonly accepted sequence, in years BP, is shown to the right.

List of Muisca and pre-Muisca sites

Site nameImageMunicipalityDepartmentStartEndOldest date
FindsNotesMap
align=center El Abraalign=center align=center Zipaquiráalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Prehistoryalign=center Herreraalign=center 12,560align=center Rock art
Stone tools		align=center align=center
align=center Tibitóalign=center align=center Tocancipáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Prehistoryalign=center Herreraalign=center 11,850align=center Stone & bone tools
Carbon		align=center align=center
align=center Suevaalign=center align=center Junínalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Prehistoryalign=center Herreraalign=center 11,180align=center Rock shelteralign=center align=center
align=center Tequendamaalign=center align=center Soachaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Prehistoryalign=center Spanish conquestalign=center 11,120align=center Stone tools
Domestication of guinea pigs		align=center align=center
align=center Piedras del Tunjoalign=center align=center Facatativáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Prehistory or
Preceramic		align=center Muiscaalign=center unknownalign=center Rock art
Stone tools		align=center align=center
align=center Galindoalign=center align=center Bojacáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Preceramicalign=center Herreraalign=center 8800align=center Open area settlementalign=center align=center
align=center Checuaalign=center align=center Nemocónalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Preceramicalign=center Herreraalign=center 8500align=center Stone toolsalign=center [8] align=center
align=center align=center align=center Nemocónalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Preceramicalign=center align=center 7630align=center Rock shelter
Main salt producing town		align=center align=center
align=center Piedra del Indio
Chía I-VIII
Moon Temple		align=center align=center Chíaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Preceramicalign=center align=center 5140align=center Rock art
Burial site
Religious place		align=center [9] align=center
align=center align=center align=center Zipaquiráalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Preceramicalign=center align=center 5140align=center Main salt producing townalign=center [10] align=center
align=center Aguazuquealign=center align=center Soachaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Preceramicalign=center Herreraalign=center 4065align=center Stone tools
Burial grounds
Human remains
Guinea pigs, deer		align=center [11] align=center
align=center Lake Herreraalign=center align=center Madrid
Mosquera
Bojacá		align=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Preceramicalign=center Herreraalign=center 3410align=center Stone tools
Ceramics		align=center [12] align=center
align=center SO10-IXalign=center align=center Sativanortealign=center Boyacáalign=center Preceramicalign=center Preceramicalign=center 3386align=center Muisca mummyalign=center [13] align=center
align=center align=center align=center Zipacónalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Preceramicalign=center align=center 3270align=center Rock shelter
Rock art
Oldest agriculture		align=center align=center
align=center El Infiernitoalign=center align=center Villa de Leyvaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Preceramicalign=center Muiscaalign=center 2975align=center Archaeoastronomical site
Muisca mummy		align=center [14] align=center
align=center align=center align=center Pascaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Herreraalign=center align=center 1400align=center Muisca raftalign=center [15] align=center
align=center align=center align=center Buenavistaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Herreraalign=center align=center 1396align=center Nose piece and pectoral
dated at 620 & 990 AD		align=center [16] align=center
align=center align=center align=center Suescaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center 150 Muisca mummies
Petrographs
Ceramics		align=center
align=center
align=center align=center align=center Gachantiváalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca mummy
Muisca copper mines		align=center [17] [18] [19] align=center
align=center align=center align=center Gachancipáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca mummyalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Ubatéalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca mummyalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tenjoalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tibacuyalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Berbeoalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petroglyphsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Sáchicaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center Ocetá Páramoalign=center align=center Monguíalign=center Boyacáalign=center align=center Muiscaalign=center align=center Petroglyphs
Birth sites
Myths		align=center [20] align=center
align=center Payaráalign=center align=center Tausaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center align=center align=center align=center align=center [21] align=center
align=center align=center align=center Choachíalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Choachí Stonealign=center [22] align=center
align=center align=center align=center La Caleraalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Chipaquealign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Coguaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Cotaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Cucunubáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Guachetáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Guascaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Guatavitaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Machetáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Madridalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Mosqueraalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center San Antonio
del Tequendama		align=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center San Franciscoalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Sibatéalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Subachoquealign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tenaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tibiritáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tocancipáalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Unealign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Bosaalign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Usmealign=center Cundinamarcaalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca mummy
Petrographs		align=center
align=center
align=center align=center align=center Boavitaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca mummyalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tascoalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca mummyalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tópagaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca mummyalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Gámezaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca mummy
Petrographs		align=center
align=center
align=center align=center align=center Belénalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Izaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Monguaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Motavitaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Ramiriquíalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Saboyáalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tibanáalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Petrographsalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Sutamarchánalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca ceramics productionalign=center align=center
align=center align=center align=center Tinjacáalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center align=center align=center Muisca ceramics productionalign=center align=center
align=center Sun Templealign=center align=center Sogamosoalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center September 1537align=center align=center Most important Muisca templealign=center [23] align=center
align=center Cojines del Zaquealign=center align=center Tunjaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center Early colonialalign=center align=center Religious placealign=center [24] align=center
align=center Hunzahúa Wellalign=center align=center Tunjaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center Early colonialalign=center align=center Mythological placealign=center [25] align=center
align=center Goranchacha Templealign=center align=center Tunjaalign=center Boyacáalign=center Muiscaalign=center Early colonialalign=center align=center Temple of Goranchachaalign=center [26] align=center

See also

Notes and References

  1. Caracterización de los sitios arqueológicos Sabana de Bogotá - ICANH
  2. Muñoz Castiblanco, 2006, p.10
  3. Martínez & Botiva, 2004a
  4. López Estupiñán, 2011
  5. Martínez & Botiva, 2004b, p.15
  6. Aceituno & Rojas, 2012, p.128
  7. N.N., s.a.
  8. Groot de Mahecha, 1992, p.7
  9. Muñoz Castiblanco, 2013
  10. Groot de Mahecha, 2008
  11. Correal Urrego, 1990
  12. Colombia Prehispánica - V. La Altiplanicie Cundiboyacense
  13. Martínez et al., 2010
  14. Silva Celis, 1981, p.12
  15. Official website Pasca
  16. Official website Buenavista
  17. Martínez & Martínez, 2012
  18. Ocampo López, 2007
  19. Valverde, 2007, p.280
  20. Objeciones del páramo más lindo del mundo - Universidad Sergio Arboleda
  21. Groot de Mahecha, 1992, p.5
  22. Izquierdo Peña, 2009, p.87
  23. Temple of the Sun - Sogamoso - Pueblos Originarios
  24. Archaeology of the Cojines del Zaque - Banco de la República
  25. Hunzahúa Well - Pueblos Originarios
  26. Goranchacha - Pueblos Originarios

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