San Agustín and Tierradentro archeology of the Andes
It is a very complex culture, which reached a high degree of knowledge of the stars, through stone carving created a variety of images to convey their beliefs, myths and their magical culture, although they did not reach to be realized or visualized as the great cultures of the Inca empire, his legacy with the great statues can be compared to the elaborate by these, as well as its themes and symbology. Located in privileged places of the Colombian Andes, in the amazing scenery of the Colombian Massif, where the main rivers of the country are born, one of them the Magdalena River, within great vegetation and huge canyons of volcanic rock, San Agustin and Isnos belong to the department of Huila.
The Tierradentro National Archaeological Park is an archaeological reserve declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1995. It is an important area where the remains are concentrated especially around the town of San Andrés de Pisimbalá, located in the department of Cauca, on the eastern slope of the Central Cordillera.
The vestiges are concentrated especially in the surroundings of the population, the tombs are located in several sites, including subway tombs and hypogea, stone statues, within which there are five zones: Alto del Aguacate, Alto de San Andrés, Loma de Segovia, Alto del Duende and El Tablón.
San Agustin Archaeological Park, is one of the most important sites for Colombia and the world. It was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco.The most important part of the story is that the origins and characteristics of this group were never found. Nearby they found a group of indigenous people, who were not the ones who made these sculptures. Additionally the human group also worked with ceramics, wood and gold work with gold of excellent quality; the other elements are exhibited in the Gold Museum of Bogota. The park is made up of the Luis Duque Gómez House Museum, the forest of statues, the small tables A, B, and C, the ceremonial fountain of the lavapatas and the lavapatas stop.
The Alto de los Idolos y las Piedras Archaeological Park. It is located in the municipality 35 minutes from San Agustin, is one of the best preserved burial sites of the pre-Columbian culture with anthropomorphic and zoomorphic statuary. The Alto de las Piedras Archaeological Park, located on a hill, where you can find the most important sculpture of the entire archaeological zone The Double Self that according to what they say perhaps represents a shaman, with a feline mask, protected with a kind of skin or a double self that he has on his head.
The TablónHere you will find five sculptures representing female anthropomorphic figures. La Chaquira is an archaeological site with a set of stone carvings on the canyon of the Magdalena River. Strait of the Magdalena River where you will be able to observe the narrowest zone where the river is born in the Colombian massif, coffee farms where excellent quality of coffee is cultivated, as well as panela farms, to live true peasant experiences.
The hypogeum in the region or collective subway tombs: are known worldwide for having the largest concentration of subway tombs of pre-Hispanic times. These constructions reach a depth of up to nine meters, and are formed by a descent shaft with stairs that serve as access to the burial chamber, which is decorated on its walls and columns by a series of geometric designs, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic, lizards, snakes and centipedes some in relief, others painted with red and black colors on white. This area was inhabited by agricultural societies similar to San Agustin, which are observed in ceramics, statuary and gold work, by the expeditions the tombs were used between 600 and 900 A.D. neither were the inhabitants who built them, in the area were settled indigenous groups such as the Paeces, Pijaos, Yalcones and Timanaes.
Tierradentro Archaeological Museum which exposes the vestiges of human groups, farmers, who transformed the difficult geography to settle in the area in times prior to 1,000 AD.
The Ethnographic Museum exhibits some elements of the material part of the Paez groups that inhabit the region today, as well as the daily practices of the use of objects, and the use of coca as a sacred plant.
Silvia located 128 km approximately 3 hours to arrive to the Guambiana community that inhabits the slopes of the Cordillera Central in the surroundings of Silvia in the department of Cauca. Currently inhabited by 12,000 families, their language is related to the Chibcha family but also dominate the Spanish, they still have deeply rooted customs and learning of their ancestors.
Landscape bike path, enjoy the colors and aromas of the Colombian Massif through country roads (3 hours).
The Straits of the Magdalena River, spectacular rocky gorge where the most important river in Colombia is forced to pass only 2.20 meters wide. Tour by vehicle to one of the wonders that nature gives us in the Colombian Massif.
Visit to the DOÑA CELIA museum workshop where banana fiber is woven, an ingenious activity that originated in this place and today its weavings are exhibited in many parts of the world.
The department is cultivating high quality coffee identified as Specialty Coffee. It has many farms certified with this type of coffee, this has allowed Huila coffee to have a mark of origin and to have in its territory the largest number of farms that have won the rate of excellence. The tour is made by the farmer owner of the farm showing the process of cultivation from the planting to the harvesting of the grain.
Country cooking. In agreement with the organization Coffe - Mujer we offer the experience of preparing a sancocho with the ladies associated with the organization. This is a wonderful opportunity to share in the preparation of the sancocho surrounded by the affection of the hosts and a bewitching landscape. When this activity is taken, the park is visited in the afternoon.
The temperature in the area is very variable as it is located on the Andes mountain range, with an average temperature of 7 to 20ºC.
To arrive to this area you can have several options from Neiva - San Agustín or Pitalito - San Agustín or Florencia - San Agustín and for Tierradentro from Popayan taking advantage of visiting Silvia. You will know one of the most important areas of Colombia on Archaeology. The trip will be worth it, it is a unique opportunity even if you have traveled many hours on the road.
Distance Pitalito-San Agustín: 27 kms. Trip time approximately 1 hour.
Distance Neiva-San Agustín: 227 kms. Trip time: 5 hours approximately.
Distance Bogotá-San Agustín: 530 kms. Travel time: 9 hours approximately.
Distance Cali-San Agustín: 270 kms. Trip time 7 hours approximately, 40 kms of unpaved road. Cali-Popayán - Paletara - Isnos - San Agustín Route
The road between San Agustín - Tierradentro 176 kms. 5 hours trip approximately.