Tierradentro facts for kids
| UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Inza, Colombia |
| Criteria | Cultural: (iii) |
| Inscription | 1995 (19th Session) |
Tierra abajo is a very special place in the mountains of southwest Colombia. Its name means "Underground" in Spanish. This name comes from the amazing ancient tombs found there. These tombs were built by a culture that lived in this area a very long time ago. They started around 200 BC and continued until the 17th century. The people of Tierradentro are famous for their many detailed underground tombs, called hypogea.
Contents
Exploring Tierradentro's Ancient Secrets
The Tierradentro culture was one of the ancient groups of people in Colombia before Europeans arrived. They lived in the mountains of what is now the Cauca Department. This area is about 100 kilometers from Popayán, the capital city of Cauca.
Amazing Underground Tombs
The most famous things left by the Tierradentro people are their hypogea. These are large, complex underground tombs. A typical hypogeum has an entrance that faces west. Inside, there is a spiral staircase that goes down. The main room is usually 5 to 8 meters (about 16 to 26 feet) below the ground. Around this main room, there are several smaller rooms. Each of these smaller rooms would have held a body.
The walls inside these tombs are painted with cool designs. You can see geometric shapes, human-like figures (called anthropomorphic), and animal-like figures (called zoomorphic). These paintings are done in red, black, and white colors. Sometimes, you can still see statues or pieces of pottery and fabric. Sadly, many items were taken from the tombs before they became protected areas.
The detailed sculptures and paintings in these underground tombs are similar to those found in the nearby San Agustín culture. However, in Tierradentro, there are many more of them in one place.
Where the Tombs Were Found
Many hypogea have been found in different places in the Tierradentro region. Some of these sites include Alto del Aguacate (Avocado Hill), Alto de San Andrés, Alto de Segovia, Alto del Duende, and El Tablón.
Today, the mountainous area where the Tierradentro culture lived is a national archeological park. It is located near the town of Inza, in the Cauca Department of Colombia. The park protects 162 hypogea. The tombs you can see at the park were built between the 6th and 9th centuries AD.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Tierradentro National Archeological Park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995. This means it is considered very important to the whole world. UNESCO recognized it because it shows a "unique testimony to the artistic and social culture of the region." It helps us understand how these ancient people lived and what was important to them.
The park is also very important for the local people. Many tourists, both from Colombia and other countries, visit the site. This brings money to the local economy. The site was also listed on the World Monuments Fund's 2012 list of 100 Most Endangered Sites, which means it needed special attention to protect it.
See also
In Spanish: Parque Arqueológico Nacional de Tierradentro para niños
