Valley of the Statues
Colombia
Where ?
San Agustin, Colombia – 530 km south of Bogota
How to get ?
Preferably by plane “Avianca” from Bogota to Neiva and then from Neiva by minibus to San Agustin (4 h, 38,000 COP). You can also go from Neiva with a change at Pitalito. There are also direct buses from Bogota to Pitalito (about 12 hours).
The entrance costs 35,000 COP (it is a combined ticket to 3 parks, also to alto de las piedras and alto de los Idolos and is valid for 2 days) – the place is open every day except Tuesday
1 USD = 3.354 COP
Why ?
Far from larger cities, in the mountains, there is a cemetery with burial mounds, in front of which statues were placed as guards. They are statues carved in stone, single or in groups of 2-3, and depict human-animal beings with large fangs, ears and nose. These statues were placed in graves or were in front of the graves – each of these statues is different from each other. Some of them depicted gods, and therefore it is recognized that there may also have been a place of worship there.
These statues were created from the 1st to the 9th century CE and they are unheard of elsewhere in Columbia or South America. The sculptures reached a height of 4 meters and weighed about a dozen tons.
The San Agustin Archaeological Park is located in a tropical forest – the whole is divided into parts A, B, C, Fuerte de Lavaptas (pools) and Alto de Lavaptas. This park consists of reliefs carved in the rocky stream bed. All places are connected by paths, terraces and dikes – maybe it was a place of pilgrimage for the inhabitants of these areas.
It is assumed that this place was built by the mysterious and unknown civilization of San Agustin.
This place was abandoned and plundered, including various objects found in graves, and was rediscovered in the 19th century.
San Agustin Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
