Malagana facts for kids
Malagana, also known as the Malagana Treasure, is an important archaeological site in Colombia. It was named after a sugarcane farm where it was found by accident in 1992. After its discovery, many ancient treasures were taken from the site. Experts believe about 4 tons of pre-Columbian (before Columbus) artifacts were removed.
Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH) quickly started a rescue mission. They found a new ancient culture, which they called Malagana-Sonsoid. This culture lived there between 300 BC and 300 AD.
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What Does Malagana Mean?
The name Malagana is actually a misspelling of the Spanish word Málaga.
How the Malagana Treasure Was Found
The Malagana Treasure was discovered by accident in 1992. It happened in a sugarcane field at Hacienda Malagana, near the city of Palmira in western Colombia. A worker was driving a large tractor when the ground suddenly fell in. The tractor dropped into a big hole.
When the driver looked into the hole, he saw something shiny. It was made of gold! The hole turned out to be an ancient underground tomb. The worker took some of the gold items and sold them quietly. Soon, others found out.
Between October and December 1992, thousands of people came to the sugarcane field looking for gold. News reports said as many as 5,000 people were there. They took countless artifacts from the ancient burial ground. Some experts believe that between 140 and 180 kilograms (about 300 to 400 pounds) of gold objects were taken.
Later in 1992, the Gold Museum in Bogotá received many gold objects. They were made in a style no one had seen before. Research showed that these amazing artifacts came from the Hacienda Malagana site.
What Archaeologists Found
Even though many people were still taking treasures, archaeologists started investigating the Hacienda Malagana site in March 1993. They had to stop after only a few days. But in that short time, they looked at three tombs. They also studied the layers of soil, which showed that people had lived there for a very long time.
One grave still had two gold beads and a pottery pot that the treasure hunters had missed. Scientists used radiocarbon dating on material from the pot. This showed the pot was from around 70 AD.
After the treasure hunters finally left, more detailed excavations happened in late 1994. Since the cemetery area was destroyed, archaeologists focused on a living area about 500 meters away. They found 17 burials and evidence of four different time periods when people lived there. These periods were called "Proto-Ilama," "Ilama," "Malagana," and "Sonsoid."
The artifacts showed that the people of Malagana traded with groups in other areas of Colombia. By the Malagana period, this culture had developed its own unique style.
The Gold Museum's Role
After getting the first gold items, the Gold Museum worked hard to find and get back as many stolen artifacts as possible. They managed to get over 150 objects.
While these gold items are beautiful, much of their historical information was lost. This happened because they were ripped from their tombs in 1992. Archaeologists learn the most when objects are found in their original place. This helps them understand how people lived and what was important to them.
Amazingly, museum archaeologists were able to get some information about where the objects came from. They talked to people who saw the treasure hunt in 1992. This helped them understand what was found in 29 different graves. This information teaches us about the Malagana culture's beliefs, burial customs, and how their society was organized.
Inside Tomb 1
Archaeologists were able to figure out how gold, pottery, and other items were arranged in some tombs. They did this by talking to witnesses and carefully studying the artifacts. One important tomb is Tomb 1, which had many treasures.
Here's what Tomb 1 was like:
- It was a rectangular pit about 3 meters (10 feet) deep.
- It was filled with gravel and sand that had tiny bits of gold.
- The floor was paved with white stone slabs that were not from the local area.
- The body was laid on its back.
- Three large gold leaf masks covered the face.
- Around the neck were gold beads, small gold birds, and necklaces made of colorful stone beads, emeralds, and red Spondylus shells.
- A gold mask covered the feet.
- Other items included bone tubes and rock crystal beads.
- In a small space above the head, there were two Ilama-style pots. One was a bowl, and the other was a vessel shaped like a woman.
- Fifty to one hundred stone slabs covered and protected the entire burial.
Protecting the Malagana Treasure
Before 1939, gold objects found illegally were often melted down or sold to collectors in other countries. In 1939, a man named Julio Caro convinced the Banco de la República (Bank of the Republic) in Bogotá that these gold items should be kept in Colombia.
The gold artifacts were first kept in the bank's boardroom. From 1947 to 1959, only important visitors could see them. In 1959, the bank built a new building with a special room to display the artifacts. For the first time, the public could see these golden treasures.
In 1970, a new building for the bank was planned. Several people suggested making it a top-notch museum. Experts were brought in to organize the exhibits and explain their cultural meaning. When the four-story Gold Museum building was finished, the treasures of the Malagana culture and other Colombian cultures found a safe home. This helps preserve them and teach future generations.
In 2004, the Gold Museum started a big project to update its facilities and exhibits. When it was finished in 2007, the treasures were displayed using the latest technology. One goal was to help visitors understand the lives of the people who made these objects.
Some of the gold artifacts have even been shown in other countries. For example, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., had an exhibit called "The Spirit of Ancient Colombia Gold" from 2005 to 2006. This exhibit featured 280 gold objects loaned from the Gold Museum in Bogotá. A gold funerary mask in the Malagana style was a highlight of the show.
The Malagana treasure was carefully placed in tombs long ago. In 1992, many of these treasures were taken. But now, the remaining examples are safely kept in Colombia. They inspire people around the world with their beauty and the skill of the ancient craftspeople who made them.
Images for kids
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Malagana is located in the Colombian municipality of Palmira, Valle del Cauca
See also
In Spanish: Cultura Malagana para niños
