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| SPOTLIGHT | | Tropical
beaches and jungle, Wildlife, natural heritage and sun-kissed islands. |
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About San Agustin:
Imagine the Spanish
conquistador’s surprise after days of following the Magdalena River to its headquarters
in search of more gold, when they trudged through the thick tropical rain forest
and came into a high valley where mounds of earth promised untold riches.
Imagine also their disappointment when they dug into the mounds and found
stone dolmens, carytids and sculptures. Some of the mounds contained tombs, guarded
by statues with fierce expressions, but only a few contained any of the fabulous
riches found elsewhere in Colombia and displayed now in Bogota’s Museo de Oro.
Imagine now the delight and fascination of
archaeologists who uncovered more mounds and discovered the relics of a civilization
that flourished and died between the 6th century B.C and 12th A.D..
Thought to be a cultural center and used by a succession of varied indigenous
groups that disappeared before the Incas arrived on the scene, this region has
several sites with the same type of statues and carvings, but the most important
is the site at San Agustín, now the Parque Arqueológico de San Agustín,
and listed in 1995 on the World Heritage List of UNESCO.
The park sprawls
over an area of 500 square kilometers and is considered the largest of the pre-Columbian
sites in South America, and brings together cultural influences from peoples of
the Andes, Amazonia and the Caribbean groups. Though not much is known of the
cultures who created the statues, dolmens and carvings, these relics tell a tale
of their own. The lush landscape serves as a foil for statues representing mythical
and real creatures, perhaps gods and actual men, as well as the Goddess of Motherhood.
There are about 500 statues and tombs are scattered in groups over an area on
both sides of the Rio Magdalena Gorge, and there may be more undiscovered to date.
The rich volcanic soil supports farmers who have tilled the soil for centuries.
At lower altitudes, rice is prevalent, but at this height, coffee, corn, beans
and other vegetables are grown. Early farmers built canals and terraces on hillsides
around the mounds, seemingly paying little or no attention to the monumental tombs
where important personages were buried with statues guarding their offerings to
the gods of gold and pottery. Some of these statues guarding burial chambers have
jaguar-type mouths and fierce expressions. Others look like birds of prey, snakes
or other animals, such as monkeys, frogs or eagles. The jaguar figure is thought
to be associated with a religious leader called a chamán or shaman, who
could transform himself into a jaguar to keep balance in the world. It is thought
that the concept of reincarnation is a large part of the rationale behind these
monoliths.
Archaeological excavation began in the 1930's and unearthed
figures where the paint or dyes, mainly red, blue and yellow were still visible.
They began to fade as soon as the air reached them, but traces of these colors
linger. Adorned with various styles of clothing, hairstyles and accesories, the
statues share a common feature of blank eyes. The San Agustin statues are known
as Chinas and are sculpted from big chunks of volcanic rock. They are mostly rectangular
or oval in shape and are of various sizes. The largest weigh several tons and
are over seven meters high.
Unfortunately, some of them are small enough
to be carried off, or located far enough away to be attractive to looters who
cut the pieces into small enough sections to be easily transported. They are now
listed on the Red List of Latin-American Cultural Objects at Risk . This list
contains 25 examples of specific pre-Columbian and Colonial heritage categories
which are systematically looted throughout Latin America and are in great demand
on the illegal antiquities market.
Take your time to explore the site.
it is large and well maintained, with the tomb sites linked by pathways, great
vistas into the mountains and valley. Apparently along with their fascination
with death and burial, the developers of these sites had a keen eye for beauty
and chose scenic sites to bury their dead. Some people were interred in a carved
stone sarcophagus like this one.
It's easier to get to the town of San
Agustín and the Parque Arqueológico de San Agustín now than
it was for the conquistadores, but expect to put a little effort into it.
By road:
From Bogotá to Neiva, capital of the Department
of Huila, via paved national highway, about six hours, but be prepared for it
to take longer. From Neiva to San Agustín is another four hours. From Popayan,
by bus, it's also about six hours.
By air:
Either into Neiva’s
Benito Salas airport or Pitalito’s Contador national airport. San Agustín
is only 45 minutes by road from Pitalito. Check flights from your area to Bogotá
or other locations in Colombia.
Once there, you can tour the site by
4x4, horseback or by foot. Horseback is a popular choice and allows you plenty
of opportunity to enjoy the scenery. You can rent a horse in the town of San Agustín.
Take the time to visit some of the surrounding sites which also have burial
mounds, figures and great scenic views of the surrouding countryside. See also:
Fuente de Lavapatas where there are a series of pools and channels of water
carved into smooth bare rock as are pictures of lizards, serpents and salamanders
with human figures
Alto de Lavapatas where at the summit of the hill are
the oldest tombs and a children’s cemetery protected by a beautifully carved large
double statue
Bosque de las Estatuas where statues originally found in remote
areas have been grouped for display in a natural wooded setting
El Alto de
los Ídolos where you'll see horizontal and vertical tombs with carved stone
slabs
San Agustín is a small town set in the beautiful Magdalena river
valley and equipped for the visitor with places to stay and eat.
Travel Warnings
At the time of writing, according to the US Department
of State Travel Warning to Colombia violence has decreased markedly in most urban
centers but you must make your own decision about travel. If you go, pay attention
to your own country's warnings and advice, and keep a close eye on the news from
Colombia prior to your departure or planned time in Colombia.
If you have
questions or comments about San Agustín and/or Colombia, post them on the
South America for Visitors Forum. If you're not already a registered user, you'll
need to register, but it is easy and free. | |
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Ocean Beach | | Ocean Beach, six miles
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La Jolla | | A more pretentious air prevails
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