Cochasquí facts for kids
 Location in Ecuador
|
|
| Location | Ecuador |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 00°03′24″N 78°18′37″W / 0.05667°N 78.31028°W |
| Type | Settlement |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 950-1530 CE |
| Site notes | |
| Condition | In ruins |
Cochasquí is a very large and important ancient site in northern Ecuador. It has many old buildings and structures from before the Inca Empire and before Europeans arrived. The site is about 30 kilometres (19 mi) northeast of Quito. It sits high up, at 3,040 metres (9,970 ft) above sea level.
The Cochasquí archaeological park covers 84 hectares (210 acres). It has 15 pyramids with flat tops and 21 burial mounds. These mounds are called tolas by local people. You can also find several small museums here. There is a museum about archaeology and two about local culture. A botanical garden and a museum with old musical instruments are also part of the park. The huge Mojanda volcano, 4,263 metres (13,986 ft) tall, stands over the site.
Contents
What is Cochasquí?
The pyramids and other parts of Cochasquí were built between 950 CE and the 1530s. This was when the Spanish arrived. Archaeologists believe the Quitu-Cara culture or the Caranqui people built them. These two groups might have been the same people.
Before the Incas took over in the late 1400s, northern Ecuador had many small kingdoms. These kingdoms were made up of people with similar languages and ways of life. The Cayambe kingdom might have controlled the Cochasquí area when the Incas came.
The Pyramids and Mounds
Cochasquí has 15 pyramids. Nine of them have long ramps leading up. Six pyramids do not have ramps. The biggest pyramid is number nine. It is 90 metres (300 ft) long from north to south and 80 metres (260 ft) wide. This pyramid is 21 metres (69 ft) high. Its ramp is 200 metres (660 ft) long.
The pyramids were built using a soft volcanic stone called cangahua. This stone can wear away easily. But the pyramids have lasted because grass grew over them, protecting them.
Life at Cochasquí
Experts think Cochasquí was a special place for ceremonies. It may have also been an astronomy center. People might have used it to track the sun's movements. This helped them know when to plant their crops. Leaders and important people might have lived on top of the flat pyramids. The site was likely important for military and political reasons too.
The tolas (burial mounds) were used for burying people. Many skeletons have been found inside them. Archaeologists believe that about 3,000 people lived in Cochasquí. This number includes those who farmed the land around the pyramids and mounds.
Why Cochasquí is Important
The Inca armies likely attacked Cochasquí around the same time they won a big battle at Pambamarca Fortress Complex. Pambamarca is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) to the southeast. One expert thinks Pambamarca fell to the Incas around 1505.
Cochasquí is a very important place in Ecuador's history. There is a famous legend about the Inca conquest of Cochasquí. It tells of Quilago, the Queen of Cochasquí, and the Inca Emperor, Huayna Capac. The legend says Quilago's armies fought the Incas for two years. They were very strong.
Finally, Quilago was captured. She was made to marry Huayna Capac. Some stories say their child was the future emperor Atahualpa. The legend also says Quilago tried to trick Huayna Capac. But her servants told on her, and she was executed. After Quilago's defeat, the Incas were able to conquer all of northern Ecuador. They defeated the Caranqui people in the battle of Yawarkucha.
This legend is very old in Ecuador. In 1613, a Spanish writer saw a play in Quito. It showed the fight between the Incas and Cochasquí. It also showed the story of the Inca Emperor and the warrior queen. The legend helps explain Ecuador's history. It shows how the conquering Incas and the local Ecuadorian people came together. It also shows how the local people fought against outsiders, first the Incas, then the Spanish.
Today, Cochasquí is a special place for many ceremonies. People hold traditional dances, shamanistic rituals, and weddings there. It is a place to connect with the ancestors of modern-day Ecuador.
See also
In Spanish: Cochasquí para niños
