Fuerte de Samaipata, Bolivia El Fuerte de Samaipata is a unique archaeological site in the mountains of central Bolivia. It features a stone hill carved with a wide variety of animal and geometric figures. It has been designated a World Heritage Site. ● History of Fuerte de Samaipata The ancient site of Samaipata was occupied and used as a ritual and residential centre by people belonging to the Mojocoyas culture as early as 300 AD, and it was at this time that work began on the shaping of the great rock. According to the 17th-century Spanish priest Diego de Alcaya, the site was occupied in the 14th century by the Inca, who made it a provincial capital. Archaeological excavations have confirmed this, uncovering a central plaza with monumental public buildings around it and terracing of the neighbouring hillsides for agriculture, all characteristics of an Inca settlement. The site was first discovered by the Spanish, who dubbed it El Fuerte (The Fort). In the 16th century, the Spanish formed a colonial settlement in the valley beneath the ancient site, the town of Samaipata. The hilltop structures were abandoned, and were soon covered with vegetation. After this, the ruins were visited only by treasure hunters and herdsmen, but the local villagers kept the memory of the place alive. El Fuerte first came to the notice of scholars in the 18th century, and it has been excavated and studied since the beginning of the 20th century. The unorthodox Swiss theorist Erich von Däniken (b. 1935) visited Samaipata twice, and concluded that two parallel running grooves carved in the rock were once used as a UFO launch site.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 09:25:25 +0000
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