One of the greatest Pre-Columbian civilizations of Colombia were the Tierradentro who flourished for centuries. They created a remarkable series of cave tombs and monuments which offer us a unique insight into life in the area before the Spanish Conquest . The National Archeological Park of Tierradentro with its many shaft tombs has no parallel in Latin America and is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site.

The History of The Tierradentro Culture

The builders of the tombs and funerary monuments in the Tierradentro lived in the uplands and valleys of the Northern Andes and were related to the ancient San Agustín culture. They were a highly advanced society who developed ingenious agricultural and hydrological systems . The small settlements consisted of a hierarchical society, ruled by a priestly caste.

Pottery artifacts from National Archaeological Park of Tierradentro (Photo by Inyucho)

Evidence indicates that the Tierradentro people lived in the area from about the 2 nd century BC. The culture went into decline in the 13 th century and was finally destroyed by the Spanish Conquistadors .

History of National Archeological Park Tierradentro

The Tierradentro tombs were forgotten about until modern times when they were opened and looted. In response to the widespread pillaging, the Colombian government established the archaeological park. The conservation project which was launched has helped to preserve the tombs and other remains.

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The magnificent valleys of Tierradentro, Columbia (Matyas Rehak / Adobe Stock )

Ongoing efforts to preserve the many paintings in the caves continue, yet some concerns have been raised about the conservation projects as they may be negatively impacting on the authenticity of the tombs. Erosion of the site is also a problem and the cave tombs require constant maintenance.