The Tiahuanaco Indians "Ancient Explorers"
By Jose Reyes 2/22/04
High up at 13,300 Feet on the Peruvian-Bolivian Altiplano lies the remains of a mysterious civilization, Tiahuanaco, where many interesting questions have been raised and many interesting theories have surfaced throughout the years. Tiwanaku, was it's original name but changed throughout the years to the present, Tiahuanaco. This civilization prospered before the Chimu Empire and the Inca Empire even existed. the actual time of existence is still an uncertainty. The Indians of Tiahuanaco were Aymara Indians as evident by the language spoken in the region today and for thousands of years before, also by the architectural techniques used in building this flourishing metropolis. To get an idea of the area, I've created a page so the reader can view several geographical maps and develop a better perspective of the area. This would show Tiahuanaco's exact location. (See Maps)
The Tiahuanaco civilization successfully dominated, mainly because of their superior agricultural techniques in conjunction with their state-of-the-art irrigation system that was supplied by a major river source. This river, now known as the Tiawanaco River, empties into the famous Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca would provide the Indians of Tiahuanaco with an ample supply of fish. Though it was considered a myth, the people in the region always believed that there was a missing city, a so-called missing link, located on the floor of Lake Titicaca. After recent investigations and recent discoveries, another section of this great empire was found. After locating this section of the city, many theories have emerged concerning the actual period this unique society flourished and also from where these ancient explorers originated from.
Lake Titicaca
Peru and Bolivia share ownership of this lake, it is split in half, to avoid any controversy. Lake Titicaca is the highest altitude navigable lake in the world, with an incredible average depth of 460 to 600 feet and up to 920 feet on the northeastern edge which is on the Bolivian side.
Architecture
"The Idol" " The Gate to the Sun" "Superb Masonry"
"Semi-subterranean Temple" "Kalisasaya Gateway"
Closer View: Gate of Kalasasaya
" Puma Punku Temple" "Akapana Pyramid Mound"
Their sculptures and their stonework were very unique and extremely advanced, compared to all the ancient civilizations that thrived throughout South America before them and even after them. The Incas , who were so world renown for their excellence in architecture, were a far second, behind the engineering expertise of Tiahuanaco Indians. They would carve a figure from an enormous rock and move the finished product that weighed approximately 100 Tons, for incredible distances to their predetermined place of exhibition. These solo statutes were know as Monoliths. They were innovative artists and incredible builders, placing cut blocks of rocks squarely in a precise fashion and incredibly, without any mortar. They were advanced in ceramics and were the first in pre-Colombia era to use paint on the pottery they designed. There is plenty of evidence suggesting that some of the monoliths had been cast instead of carved, if tapped with a rock, a ringing sound is produced. They are located in an area called Puma Punku. These accomplishments and many more outstanding feats proved how much they were ahead of the rest of the world at that time.
Dating Theories:
Arturo Ponansky: He suggested that the part of the city under the soil was there before Lake Titicaca existed about 15,000 years ago and inhabited by an unknown civilization, then part of the city was raised 2 miles up from an eruption in nearby Chile. Afterwards, there was a world-wide flood about 3,000 years later that created the famous lake and made the elevated area of land, a sea port known as Tiahuanaco.
Professor Hans Schindler-Bellamy: He was a believer of Ponansky and along with some famous astronomers and well known mathematicians suggested that the famous monolith located at "The Gate of Kalasasaya" was a calendar. With astrological theories combined by some mathematical measurements, he placed the city of Tiahuanaco in existence about 12000 years ago.
Both Schindler-Bellamy and Ponansky also discovered fossils of fish that cannot be found in such a high altitude (13,300 Feet).
Very Interesting!
Viracocha, as the feathered serpent god, is one of the great mysteries of ancient American cultures. He was called Kukulkan by the Mayas, Quetzalcoatl by the Aztecs, Viracocha by the Incas, Gucumatz in central America, Votan in Palenque and Zamna in Izamal. (See on the top the "Gate to the Sun" arch).
Most archeologists conclude that the Tiahuanaco Indians existed from 2200 to 500 B.C. until 400 to 800 A.D. but no real proof has been found because of the little amount of ruins and also because of all the looting that has taken place there by all the civilizations that have lived in the area immediately after Tiahuanaco Indians and until now, the present time.
My Conclusion:
I feel all the information that has been gathered on this ancient area does indicate , more or less, when the Tiahuanaco civilization terminated, but until we can figure out where they possibly traveled from and what was the direct route they maneuvered, to find this mountainous refuge, no one will ever know when they arrived. Ice ages and global warming are very important, when figuring out the correct dates, since Carbon-14 dating cannot determine the age of rocks.
Scientific findings have shown, 3 periods of sudden reseeding of glaciers in the North Pole and the South Pole creating major worldwide floods. Could have these ancient explorers arrived during the first flood and all the other Indian Cultures found throughout the rest of the world, have arrived after. When narrowing down the origin of these people, we are extremely helped in great measures by scientific and archeological findings suggesting that these people were homo sapiens. There hasn't been any evidence of ape life in North, Central or South American, so we see no connection to Africa or the beginning of human life itself. This non-ape environment shows that Homo Sapiens as we all are, presently, were the only humans to enter North, Central and South America.
There are many theories out there, from connecting the Indians of Tiahuanaco to the Indians of Easter Island to connecting them to the Indians of the famous Island of Atlantis. Whatever theory anyone reading this article believes in, there is one thing for sure, the Tiahuanaco civilization was very uniquely advanced, in terms of culture, architecture and masonry. They were there before all the great empires ever existed and all these great rulers that controlled South America and Central America learned everything from the "Ancient Explorers" from Tiahuanaco.
I think the most intriguing feature that really mystifies me the most, is that "Serpent God", "Viracocha", located on the face of "The Gate of the Sun". That's when I pose to myself, the question "Why is his eyes round and his mouth round when all the monoliths found in the area have square eyes and a rectangular mouth? If you have the answer to that, let me know, remember they were there before the Chimnu, the Incas, the Mayans, the Aztecs, the Izamal, the Palenque, and so on. Who were these Indians, and how long were they there?
