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Lost Secrets - an adventure during Neolithic times

Das Raetiastein GPS by Thomas Walli

Das Raetiastein GPS by Thomas Walli

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<< Our Photo Pages >> Alto de las Guacas - Burial Chamber or Dolmen in Colombia

Submitted by SolarMegalith on Friday, 30 March 2012  Page Views: 5408

Pre-ColumbianSite Name: Alto de las Guacas
Country: Colombia Type: Burial Chamber or Dolmen
Nearest Town: San Agustin
Latitude: 1.900000N  Longitude: 76.236W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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Alto de las Guacas
Alto de las Guacas submitted by SolarMegalith : Dolmen-like chamber inside the mound. In his work "Megality świata" (2001) Zygmunt Krzak, one of the best Polish prehistorians, considers these structures as South-American dolmens (photo taken on March 2012). (Vote or comment on this photo)
Burial Chamber (Dolmen) in Colombia. The burial chamber and sculpture at Alto de las Guacas belong to San Agustin culture, one of the major Pre-Columbian cultures of this region. The structure is roughly 1.5 m wide, 1.2 m high and 2.5 m long.

The megalithic burial chambers in mounds reaching 45 m in diameter and 5 m in height, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic sculptures, as well as petroglyphs are the major evidence left by San Agustin culture. There are also fine examples of goldwork dated for 1st century BC and later, some of which can be seen in Museo del Oro in Bogota. The Classic period in San Agustin lasted from 1st century AD to 9th century AD.

Unfortunately Alto de las Guacas is not signed and very difficult to find. It is located NE from the town of San Agustin, on the other side of Rio Magdalena river.

Special thanks for my father who visited this site and took the photos.

References:
Fernandez, G.V. 2007. "Prehispanic Change in the Mesitas Community: Documenting the Development of a Chiefdom’s Central Place in San Agustin, Huila, Colombia". University of Pittsburgh.
Krzak, Z. 2001. "Megality świata". Warsaw: Ossolineum
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Alto de las Guacas
Alto de las Guacas submitted by SolarMegalith : Sculpture of the San Agustin culture in Alto de las Guacas (photo taken on March 2012). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Alto de las Guacas
Alto de las Guacas submitted by SolarMegalith : A stone with mysterious opening lying on top of the burial mound (photo taken on March 2012). (Vote or comment on this photo)

Alto de las Guacas
Alto de las Guacas submitted by SolarMegalith : General view of the burial mound with the megalithic dolmen-like chamber and sculpture (photo taken on March 2012). (Vote or comment on this photo)

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Nearby Images from Flickr
Colombia. Parque Arqueológico 'Alto de los Ídolos'. Flor Heliconia
Colombia. Parque Arqueológico 'Alto de los Ídolos'. Flor Heliconia
Colombia. Parque Arqueológico 'Alto de los Ídolos'
Colombia. Parque Arqueológico 'Alto de los Ídolos'. Flor Heliconia
Colombia. Parque Arqueológico 'Alto de los Ídolos'
Colombia. Parque Arqueológico 'Alto de los Ídolos'

The above images may not be of the site on this page, but were taken nearby. They are loaded from Flickr so please click on them for image credits.


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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 1.8km NNW 346° Alto de los Idolos* Artificial Mound
 1.8km SSE 156° Alto del Tigre* Rock Art
 3.5km W 276° La Chaquira* Rock Art
 4.6km W 271° El Tablon (San Agustin)* Sculptured Stone
 5.7km W 267° San Agustin Parque Arqueologico* Sculptured Stone
 6.6km WNW 283° La Pelota* Sculptured Stone
 6.7km WNW 282° El Purutal* Burial Chamber or Dolmen
 7.9km WNW 290° Petroglifos del Estrecho* Rock Art
 8.2km WNW 302° Obando* Rock Cut Tomb
 77.1km NNE 16° El Aguacate* Rock Cut Tomb
 78.2km NNE 17° Alto de Segovia* Rock Cut Tomb
 79.2km NNE 17° El Tablon (Tierradentro)* Sculptured Stone
 177.8km N 350° Deportivo Cali Tombs Barrow Cemetery
 273.3km SW 230° Inca-Caranqui* Ancient Village or Settlement
 278.3km SW 227° Pyramids of Zuleta Pyramid / Mastaba
 308.3km SW 228° Cochasqui Ancient Village or Settlement
 321.8km SW 229° Rumicucho Pucara Hillfort
 322.6km SW 229° Catequilla* Stone Circle
 379.7km ENE 79° Angosturas II Rock Art
 381.0km E 79° Cerro Azul Rock Art
 384.7km NE 39° Museo del Oro (Bogota)* Museum
 392.0km E 81° Nuevo Tolima Rock Art
 414.0km SW 226° Malqui-Machay* Ancient Village or Settlement
 460.1km SSW 202° Cueva de los Tayos Cave or Rock Shelter
 511.7km NE 35° El Infiernito* Standing Stones
View more nearby sites and additional images

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"Alto de las Guacas" | Login/Create an Account | 2 News and Comments
  
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Re: Alto de las Guacas by Anonymous on Wednesday, 17 January 2024
it's 'pre-columbian" not pre-colombian.
colombia is the country, not the time period.
pre-columbian means before columbus, the explorer.
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