Eight jars of Colombian emeralds, gold and silver unearthed near Bogotá

Top image: A closeup look at the treasure as it was found in one of the 8 jars: a mixture of gold and silver Muisca craftwork and many big Colombian emeralds.

Archaeologists in Colombia have discovered a vast treasure hoard that’s being related to El Dorado, the legendary city of gold. But these offerings of gold, silver and Colombian emeralds have nothing to do with El Dorado, which was a creation of 16th-century conquistador folklore.

Eight ceramic jars filled with gold, silver and Colombian emeralds have been discovered at an ancient temple site in Colombia near the capital city of Bogotá. While the media are associating the discovery with the 16th-century Spanish legend of the lost city of gold, El Dorado, these are in fact “Muisca” artifacts, not Spanish artifacts. Now that is clear, let’s ask the question on the lips of many of you, who were the Muisca?

The incredibly big and priceless Colombian emeralds found in the 8-jar treasure hoard at the ancient Muisca temple site on the edge of modern-day Bogotá.The incredibly big and priceless Colombian emeralds found in the 8-jar treasure hoard at the ancient Muisca temple site on the edge of modern-day Bogotá.

A Temple Full of Gold, Silver and Lots of Colombian Emeralds

Originally the “ Mhuysqa” or “C hibcha” dominated the central  Andean highlands  of present-day Colombia from 800 AD until the arrival of  Spanish conquistadors  in 1537 AD. Mass-producing quality fabrics and mining vast tonnages of salt, the Muisca imported watery-green emeralds from the nearby mountains of Muzo, and all of these commodities were traded with distant indigenous populations for gold.

As one of the four “high” civilizations of South America along with the Aztecs, Mayas and Incas,  the Muisca  also had advanced metallurgic skills. And they crafted countless gold and silver artifacts studded with Colombian emeralds.

However, whereas in today’s world these metals and stones have a high-monetary value, they had no economic value whatsoever in  Chibcha culture . Therefore, the 8-jar hoard find is defined as “treasure” by Western thinking. Gold, silver and emeralds were offered by the Muisca to their gods and goddesses in lagoons, waterfalls, caves, and at temples. 

Live Science  reported that archaeologists in Colombia recently discovered a Muisca temple site with surrounding graves, where they recovered eight ceramic jars known as “ofrendatarios.” Inside, they found  metallic figurines , known as tunjos, among several kilograms of rare Colombian emeralds.

One of the Muisca ceramic jars found outside Bogotá, Columbia, which contained a large number of rare, uncut Colombian emeralds.One of the Muisca ceramic jars found outside Bogotá, Columbia, which contained a large number of rare, uncut Colombian emeralds.

Gold For the Sun, Silver For His Wife, the Moon 

The team of excavators who uncovered the temple and graves near the capital city of Bogotá was led by archaeologist Francisco Correa, who specializes in pre-construction work archaeology.  Live Science  said 3D scans at the future construction site identified “cast gold and silver items that resembled snakes and other animals.”

Furthermore, human-shaped votive figurines wearing cloths around their heads were detailed “with weapons and ceremonial staffs” were also found. Tellingly, the metallic figures were discovered among hundreds of large, uncut Colombian emeralds and other semi-precious stones.

Correa told Live Science that the Muisca operated “a type of  cult of the ancestors .” The archaeologist also explained that the temple site and ofrendatarios may also be related to deities worshipped by the Muisca including, Sua, the  god of the sun , and Chia, the  goddess of the moon , who were worshiped as husband and wife. Gold was votively offered to the yellow sun while silver was ritually given to the pale-grey moon.

The myth of El Dorado comes from this object and the legend behind it. The zipa or Muisca king used to cover his body in gold dust. And from his raft, he offered treasures to the Guatavita goddess in the middle of the sacred lake. This old Muisca traditioThe myth of El Dorado comes from this object and the legend behind it. The zipa or Muisca king used to cover his body in gold dust. And from his raft, he offered treasures to the Guatavita goddess in the middle of the sacred lake. This old Muisca traditio

Shattering the El Dorado Myth

Beginning in the 1530s, Spanish conquistadors in Santa Marta, on Colombia’s Caribbean Sea coast, heard rumors of a lost city of gold hidden deep within the interior of New Granada. Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada y Rivera became so obsessed with finding El Dorado that he invaded the Muisca territories in the name of the king of Spain, wielding the sword of the Christian god against the wooden clubs of the indigenous warriors. Within four years of arriving in central New Granada in 1537 AD, the Spanish had sacked and plundered every temple site in the Muisca Confederation.

Having myself lived and explored in Colombia for the last five years I know a thing or two about El Dorado. Only three months ago Discovery Channel’s Josh Gates joined me in Colombia on his own search for  El Dorado . I introduced Josh to my friend Candil Mamanche, a leader at the Lake Guativita indigenous community. He explained to Josh that the word El Dorado meant “Golden Man” - El (he) Dorado (golden). El Dorado was never a city of gold, but a coronation ritual performed at Lake Guatavita that culminated in a new ruler being covered in powdered gold and jumping from a raft into the water.

The Muisca people of Guatavita were expert metal workers and they produced votive offerings for the entire Muisca Confederation. For this reason, and the fact that the sacred circular lake hosted the El Dorado ceremony, the legend of a lost golden city grew from the folklore and greed of the first Spanish colonists.

Therefore, the eight jars of treasure that were recently discovered at the temple site in Colombia come from a time long before Quesada and his Spanish army marched across New Granada looking for a mythological city of gold.

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By Ashley Cowie / Historian and Documentarian

Ashley is a Scottish historian, author and documentary filmmaker presenting original perspectives on historical problems, in accessible and exciting ways. His books, articles and television shows explore lost cultures and kingdoms, ancient crafts and artefacts, symbols and architecture, myths and legends telling thought-provoking stories which together offer insights into our shared social history.In his 20's Ashley was based in Caithness on the north east coast of Scotland and walked thousands of miles across ancient Neolithic landscapes collecting flint artefacts, which led to the discovery of significant Neolithic settlements. Having delivered a series of highly acclaimed lectures on the international Science Festival Circuit about his discoveries, he has since written four bestselling non-fiction books. Elected as a member of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, incorporated by Royal Charter in 1783, Ashley has been involved in a wide range of historical and scientific research projects which are detailed on this website – www.ashleycowie.com.In 2009 Ashley became resident Historian on STV’s The Hour Show and has since featured as an expert Historian on several documentaries. Ashley’s own documentaries have been watched by an estimated 200 million people and currently air in over 40 countries. NBC’s Universal’s hit-adventure show ‘Legend Quest’ follows Ashley’s global hunt for lost artefacts and is watched by over 5 million viewers in Australia, Asia and Europe every week. In North America, PBS’s ‘Great Estates’ was in Amazon’s top-ten “most downloaded documentaries 2016” and has been watched by an estimated 150 million people.

(Source: ancient-origins.net/; September 22, 2021; https://tinyurl.com/4xzddxjj)
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