BACKGROUND AND HISTORY

Ecuador is named after this imaginary line that divides the northern and southern hemispheres. And even though the equator passes through 13 other countries around the globe, no other country exhibits this much pride in its unique geographical location at “the middle of the world” or “mitad del mundo”. The reason is that Quito, Ecuador’s capital, is the major city closest to the equatorial line, which made it practical to develop a monument and huge following around it. Additionally, Ecuador’s altitude makes the country’s location even more unique: it is a place characterized by unusual weather patterns, an unrelenting sun, and the point on the globe farthest from the Earth’s core. But what exactly is the equator line, and what is so interesting about it?

The line is essentially the reference point from which latitude is measured (there, it is 0°), and lies perpendicular to the Earth’s axis. The distance from the equator line to each pole is exactly the same. And these geographical characteristics actually mean something beyond numbers scientific terms. The features of this particular spot on the planet can be summed up by the following two phenomena: 1) the equatorial bulge, and 2) a weaker gravitational pull. The equatorial bulge is the result of the Earth’s diameter being wider at the equator: due to rotation, the diameter is wider by approximately 42 kilometers than it is if measured between the poles. And as a result of the rotation that causes this bulge, gravitational pull is at the equator than at the poles.

This natural wonder is hardly a recent discovery. Yes, it is now exploited for tourism, and many foreign scientists have worked hard over the centuries to study this special point on the globe. But way before the cameras, the masses of tourists posing on the line, and the modern GPS equipment that put the line’s accuracy in flux, Ecuador’s cultures were well-aware of their positioning in the middle of the world. The pre-Columbian Quitu culture took its name from it: “qui” meaning middle, and “tu” meaning earth. They were using a sundial before the French mission came to study the line with surveying equipment in the 18th century. So before you quickly dismiss it as a  tourist fad, keep in mind that the place’s particular attributes were studied and acted upon well before TripAdvisor!

THE “MITAD DEL MUNDO” MONUMENT – QUITO

The “Middle of the World” monument was built in the late 20th century to commemorate the first Geodesic Mission of the French Academy of Sciences, which brought French scientists (and some Spanish naval officers) to determine the equatorial line in 1736. “Geodesic”, which originally meant the shortest line between two points on a curved surface, became generalized to define the science of measuring the Earth’s size and shape. This mission was significant in that it sought to enlighten the 18th-century scientific community’s debate around the Earth’s circumference, but also in that it was the first major international scientific expedition. Because the French Academy of Sciences was particularly eager to set the record straight, it sent two expeditions: one to Lapland at the North Pole, and the other to Ecuador. France enlisted the help of Spain because of its presence (by way of colonization) in South America.

This monument was built to commemorate the mission, which was one of the first that employed modern scientific principles. Before the actual standing monument, an earlier one had been built in 1936 for the same purpose, but it was significantly smaller and off by a few hundred feet. Today’s monument is a 30-meter tower structure that holds up a giant globe. The monument is surrounded by a large, plaza-like open space, with the four cardinal directions imprinted on large stones. A bright yellow line runs down the middle, and you can be sure that someone is always standing on it, with one foot on each side.

The monument is impressive, or at the very least, grandiose in appearance. But it has been confirmed to be misplaced, approximately 240 meters from the actual equator line. How this happened, we will probably never know. Some say that the actual equator line’s location didn’t lend itself to the building of such a monument, and others simply accept that the French Mission’s measurements were outsmarted by modern GPS devices. However, everyone generally agrees that the line at this monument is a misplacement, almost two football fields south of the actual equator. This hasn’t yet affected the number of visitors it gets on a daily basis, though it has generated lots of confusion and scrutiny, even among tourists who are eager to capture that iconic photo.

The immediate area around the monument is a small labyrinth of artesanal shops, cafés, restaurants, and other scientific establishments. There’s a planetarium, a craft beer museum, and a large plaza. So when you’re done stepping over the line, climbing the tower of the monument, and taking a photo next to the “Mitad del Mundo” sign, you can actually enjoy a pleasant afternoon walking around the area. Misplacement aside, if you go to the monument and take it for what it is — a monument honoring the scientific engagement sparked by the equatorial line, you’ll leave with more curiosity than disappointment!

THE INTINAN MUSEUM

When GPS technology revealed the monument’s misplacement, a property a couple hundred meters away rejoiced: they were on the newly detected, “actual” equator line. It was quickly developed into the Intiñan Museum, which, aside from promoting their line’s accuracy, gives visitors an ethnographic history of Ecuador’s regions. The museum defends its claim to equatorial accuracy very successfully, and is now often referred to as the “real” line that people visit before or after taking a photo at the monument. Some even skip the monument altogether to instead do the 1-hour tour at Intiñan that is as fun as it is engaging. The following are the mini-exhibits you can enjoy at the museum (all are part of the guided tour):

• The Huaorani hut – This hut is representative of Ecuador’s Amazon and the people that continue to inhabit it, some uncontacted. The hut was actually built by a family from the Huaorani community, who came and lived at the museum for two weeks with the sole purpose of recreating their living space. The hut is a multifamily construction and has life-like representations of people, as well as illustrations of the Amazon’s extensive richness, and examples of appliances used by the Huaorani.
• The Amazon exhibit & shrunken heads – This exhibit displays some of the Amazon’s most abundant and iconic flora and fauna. The most interesting part of this exhibit are the shrunken heads, or Tsantas of Ecuador’s Jívaro tribes. Of these, the Shuar have historically been notorious for their wars, but more notorious for shrinking the heads of their enemies as battle trophies. The guide explains how they did this, and you can see some eerie examples!
• An original choza – This choza, or hut/home, is allegedly the representation of an actual residence that stood in the exact same spot in 1875. Made from mud, stone, excrement, and bamboo, it’s a testament to how effective these materials were at keeping traditional homes warm and anti-seismic. In one of the hut’s corners, a dozen guinea pigs are fenced in — word on the street is that if they keep quiet while you’re inside, you’ve given off a good vibe!
• The chocolate exhibit – This is a fairly new, but fun (and delicious!) addition to the museum. The exhibit maps Ecuador’s cacao-producing regions, displays a cacao tree, and allows you to taste some cacao pulp, nibs, and of course — the finished product.
• The shadow clock – Also referred to as the solar clock, this stone tool was used by ancient Ecuadorian cultures to tell time. However, there aren’t any numbers on it, and in lieu of two hands, a single rod protrudes from its center. The clock is divided into three sections: tuta manta, chisi, and pajta, meaning morning, afternoon, and midday. The way the sun casts a shadow on the rod is a very accurate way to tell time.

Aside from these small exhibits, Intiñan has a small artesanal shop which features the work of artisans from Salasaca, a town in the Tungurahua province between Ambato and Baños. Among their most valued crafts are hand-woven tapestries made on looms that use ancient technology. The artesanal shop faces an open space used for yet another fun feature: the diablo huma dance. The diablo huma, which means “devil’s head”, represents the resistance to Spanish imperialism and the Catholic imposition. It is a very popular figure in Ecuadorian tradition, and appears at almost every parade during national holidays, masked and colorful.

But the real fun to be had at Intiñan is at the equator line itself. While it is not as “monumental” as its misplaced counterpart, it does its job: marks the Mitad del Mundo accurately (latitude signage and all), and its bright red color will make it highly visible for that photo you’ll inevitably want to take.

Your guide will take you through a series of demonstrations that are a result of the Coriolis effect and the equator’s weaker gravitational pull, which are both a result of the Earth’s faster rotation at equator than at the poles. The Coriolis effect essentially comes down to the fact that the forces in each hemisphere are different, and objects follow a different deflection pattern depending on location: to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This applies to fluids moving across large areas, which explains large-scale weather patterns. As for the weaker gravitational pull, the equatorial bulge makes it so that you’re further away from the Earth’s mass than anywhere else, so the planet exerts less pull on you. The following are the amusing demos you’ll see and be asked to engage in:

• Water spinning different ways: As a direct result of the Coriolis effect, the guide will drain water down a faucet, and you’ll see that its rotation is different depending on whether it is in the Northern or Southern hemisphere. When placed right on the line, it does not rotate, but goes straight through.
• Balancing the egg: The same force (or absence of it) that explains the water’s lack of deflection at the line supposedly makes it easier for you to balance an egg on a nail. Because the yolk will go straight down, the balancing act should be more feasible at the Middle of the World. This demo is especially fun, as there’s the incentive of receiving a certificate if you are successful!
• Walking the line: By the same logic that explains differential forces on each hemisphere, when you walk down the line with your eyes closed and arms out, you tend to go a bit off path. And most likely lose your balance. This demo is usually a source of laughter, and sometimes competitiveness, among the group!
• Arm pushes: The guide will instruct you to lock your hands, extend your arms and raise them, and hold the position as strongly as possible as they try to push them down. On either side of the hemisphere, the guide will struggle to get them to budge. But do the same thing exactly on the line, and the guide will succeed at pushing your arms down with significantly more ease. That gravitational pull did make a difference after all, didn’t it?

These demos have been highly criticized by those taking a microscopic look at their validity. There is controversy around their scientific basis, and they’re often dismissed as fads created for tourists. The main argument against them is that while the effects are real, the scale of the demos isn’t enough to produce a real phenomenon (whereas water in large volumes, for example, would). But they are not unfounded, and taken with a grain of salt they are incredibly fun and do illustrate the what the effects of the Earth’s forces look like on a small scale. Our suggestion is to go with the objective of enjoyment, and if you feel inclined to criticize the museum’s claims, save it — the guides are used to visitors who seem to rival Isaac Newton’s genius, and your scrutiny won’t go too far. So it’s best to check your skepticism at the door, walk the line, get that egg certificate, and hopefully close with a diablo huma dance after all of it!

THE QUITSATO SUNDIAL

Wait, there’s a third? Yes, and to make matters even more confusing, even though it’s relatively at a distance from Intiñan, it’s considered the other “true” equator. But bear with us, as the confusion and mystery surrounding all of this is the point — after all, its complexity is far greater than we could ever begin to explain. One of the theories out there holds that the equator isn’t actually a “line”, per se, but rather a broad strip about 5 kilometers wide. This is likely the reason that measurements vary, and why you wouldn’t actually be able to stand with one foot on each hemisphere. The “broad strip” logic rather sees the equator as the point where Earth is roundest between North and South, and this spot is in Cayambe, 80 kilometers north of Quito.

This spot — the Quitsato sundial —  is the least popular of all three, but it is equally interesting. Here, your phone’s GPS will reliably show a latitude of 0° 0’ 0’’. The sundial was developed in 2006 and is a 52-meter wide space with a 10-meter tall pole at the center, from where the sun casts a shadow that tells time. It is essentially a large-scale version of the stone solar clock you’ll see at Intiñan, except its location is much more intentional. There are lookout points on two sides of the sundial, from where you can appreciate the structure itself, and tell the time of day and month of the year. Quitsato offers guided visits (these are rather short) to help visitors better understand how the sundial works, challenging conventional ways of understanding geography and ultimately educating people about the sun’s relationship with our planet.

We highly recommend visiting this if you’re on a mission to learn everything you can about the equator. As a plus, you can stop by the delicious bizcocho shops on the way, and maybe even catch a view of the majestic Cayambe volcano.

OTHER FUN FACTS ABOUT MITAD DEL MUNDO

Hey, if you’ve gotten this far, consider yourself an equator expert! And you might want to visit all three locations, at that. We want to give you comprehensive information about places so you can avoid digging through the internet for bits of knowledge in different places. So, as a bonus, here are some other fun facts about Ecuador’s geographical position at the equator that you’ll find fascinating!

• Ecuador’s highest peak, Chimborazo volcano, is the point on Earth closest to the sun. The equatorial bulge pushes Chimborazo out further from the center of the Earth than Mount Everest.
• Places along the equator are the only spots in the world where you can see the stars in both hemispheres. On a clear night, you see both the southern cross and the big dipper at the same time.
• Sunrises and sunsets along the equator are very fast, and the length of days remains more constant throughout the year than in any other place.
• Because of weaker gravitational pull along the equator, an object at the equator weighs 0.5 percent less than at the poles.

PLANNING YOUR VISIT

Community Adventures Mitad del Mundo Tour:

• Our tour takes you first to the Intiñan Museum, where a guided group tour will show you all the features we mentioned previously. After Intiñan, our driver takes you to the actual monument for a 30 minute self-guided tour (everyone can use this time as they please, and then meet the van at a predetermined location and time). The Intiñan Museum and the monument are a short, 5 minute drive away from each other.
• The drive to Mitad del Mundo is about a 45 minute drive, and the duration of both visits is approximately 2 hours total. You should be back in Quito (at Community Adventures) around 6 p.m.
• Cost: $10 per person
• Days and times: Monday through Saturday at 2:30 pm

Book our Mitad del Mundo Tour.

Visiting the Quitsato sundial:

The Quitsato sundial is about an hour drive from Quito and will normally require you to arrange transportation on your own. However, our Otavalo tour makes a short stop here on the way to the market and that is a great alternative if you want to squeeze this into another great tour!

Het bericht Ecuador’s “Mitad del Mundo”: the history, the monuments, the wonder verscheen eerst op Community Adventures Ecuador.

Located at an altitude of over 3,000 meters in the picturesque Andes Mountains of Ecuador sits Ingapirca, the largest and best preserved archaeological site in Ecuador. Affectionately known as “The Machu Picchu of Ecuador”, it is also the most important Inca site in the country.  What makes this site particularly unique is that it stands as a lasting record of the joining of two cultures – the original Cañari people, a matriarchal society that worshipped the moon, and their Inca conquerors, a patriarchal society that worshipped the sun. Remarkably, the two peoples lived harmoniously, celebrating their commonalities and respecting their differences.

The Ancient Origins of Ingapirca

The site of Ingapirca (meaning ‘Inca Wall’ in Kichwa) had long been settled by the Cañari indigenous people, who named it Hatun Cañar. Excavations at the site unearthed a 1,200-year-old burial of an elite female with ten women surrounding her, who had drunk poison to be with their female leader in death.  They built a circular moon temple, as well as a rock calendar that recorded the lunar cycle.

Towards the end of the 15^th century, the Inca arrived led by Túpac Yupanqui. The intention was to quickly subjugate the Cañari people and amalgamate their territory. However, the Cañari fiercely defended their territory and were not so easily defeated. So the Inca proposed a political alliance. The Inca nobles married the Cañari princesses and a pact was negotiated in which it was agreed they would live together – the Inca would have a strategic base in the area, while the Cañari would have the protection of the Inca warriors.

The city was renamed and a new hybrid community was formed. Although the Inca were more numerous, they did not demand that the Cañari give up their autonomy. The Cañari continued to manage their own affairs and retained their individual customs, but adopted the language of the Inca. Together they celebrated common festivities, drinking large quantities of fermented beverages. Yet, separately they continued with their individual beliefs – the Cañari worshipping the moon and the Inca worshipping the sun.

The new city served as an important religious, political, military and administrative center for both the Inca and the Cañari.

Features of the New City

Ingapirca today displays an interesting combination of both Inca and Cañari architecture. The rough stone walls with mortar and rounded half-moon temple reflect the Cañari civilization, while the rectangular buildings and highly-precise walls built without mortar reflect the Inca culture.

The site is also composed of temples, chambers for priests, a ceremonial plaza, cobblestone streets, a solar observatory, a lunar calendar, storage rooms, ritual baths, dwellings, and a sophisticated advanced aqueduct system to distribute water to the entire compound.

By far the most impressive structure at Ingapirca is the Temple of the Sun, also known as El Castillo (The Castle), an elliptical-shaped building that aligns perfectly with the summer solstice. The stones were carefully chiseled and polished and positioned to fit together perfectly without mortar.

The End of Ingapirca

The growth of Ingapirca was short-lived because the Spanish arrived before it was even completed. The city was ransacked and its inhabitants were slaughtered. The conquistadors knocked down most of the buildings and took the stone to build churches. The site lay abandoned for centuries and became covered with vegetation.

Ingapirca had long been forgotten until a farmer discovered the ruins in his field. The Ecuadorian government began an extensive restoration project in the 1970s, and many of the original stones that had been stolen were returned to the site. The site is now open to the public and is run by the local Cañari people, who give guided tours for free, sharing the story of their past to all who come to visit.

By April Holloway

All images copyright Ancient Origins.

References

Atlas Obscura (2014) – Ingapirca. Available from: http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ingapirca

Enciclopedia del Ecuador – Cañari Confederation. Available from: http://www.enciclopediadelecuador.com/temasOpt.php?Ind=354

Hyslop, John (19 February 2014). Inka Settlement Planning. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press.

Lauderbaugh, George (22 February 2012). The History of Ecuador. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group.

With special thanks to the Cañari people, who shared their knowledge with us.

Het bericht Ingapirca: Proof that the Inca Respected the Cultures of those they Conquered verscheen eerst op Community Adventures Ecuador.

Tucked away in the Andean slopes of Ecuador, lies the quiet and picturesque village of Vilcabamba. Known to many as the ‘Valley of Longevity’, Vilcabamba has a reputation for being home to one of the highest concentrations of exceptionally old people, including numerous centenarians and a number of residents apparently reaching 140 years.

The name ‘Vilcabamba’ derives from the indigenous Quichua “huilco pamba”, meaning Sacred Valley. Originally a retreat for Inca rulers, it also became known as the ‘Playground of the Inca’. Inca royals travelled to the valley to renew and refresh their health, and it’s no wonder they chose Vilcabamba as their destination – the area is blessed with pristine water, pure air, rich soil, and a permanent Spring-like climate, where fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants thrive all year round.

The Quichuan word ‘huilco’ also refers to a sacred tree found in the valley. The Anadenanthera colubrine tree (known also as Willka, Vilca or Huilca), is considered to be a treasure in Ecuador and is deemed to be holy among the Quichuan. Its leaves are used to treat respiratory ailments and asthma and the tree is also valued for its ability to bring back pristine oxygen and block pollutants in the air, which many believe is a contributing factor to the residents’ good health and longevity.

Vilcabamba is overlooked by a mountain called El Mandango, ‘the Sleeping Inca’. Local  legend says that the spirit of the mountain protects the area from earthquakes, volcanoes, and other natural disasters.

The Sacred Valley was peacefully inhabited for centuries with very little contact from the wider world. However, in 1973, Dr Alexander Leaf of Harvard Medical School drew international attention to Vilcabamba following a cover story for National Geographic Magazine about the residents’ longevity. Two books further enhanced the town’s reputation. In 1975, Dr. David Davies, an English gerontologist, published ‘The Centenarians of the Andes’ about his research in Vilcabamba, and in 1976, popular author Grace Halsell published ‘Los Viejos: Secrets of Long Life from the Sacred Valley’.

Since then, news (and rumors) of the longevity and incredible health of ‘Los Viejos’ (The Old Ones) spread far and wide. Mixed in with scientific reports of good health and old age, were stories about the people of Vilcabamba being immune to death. It was said that the Grim Reaper passed by the valley but never entered it. Travel magazines began referring to Vilcabamba as ‘Shangri La’, a place where magic happens, ‘The Land of Eternal Youth’, ‘The Lost Gardens of Eden’ and the ‘Isle of Immunity’. Scientists and reporters began flocking to the quaint little village, featuring elderly locals on Ripley’s Believe It or Not and releasing reports in National Geographic, Reader’s Digest, and other major media outlets.

Old Age in Vilcabamba

When Dr. Alexander Leaf visited Vilcabamba in 1973, along with Dr. Harold Elrick of the University of California at San Diego, and a group from the University of Quito, they found that many of the residents reported their age at over 100 years old, and a few stated their age as being over 140 years. This was apparently confirmed by birth and baptismal records.

A census in Loja (the region in which Vilcabamba is located) the following year appeared to back up this information. Out of a total population of 819 people at the time, 9 people were older than 100 years, one man, Miguel Carpio, said he was 123, and another man, Jose David, reported his age as 142 years. This meant that Vilcabamba had a rate of 1,100 centenarians per 100,000 population, compared to only 3 per 100,000 in the U.S.

Good health in the Sacred Valley

The scientific team led by Dr Leaf found that the residents of Vilcambamba had very low cholesterol and there was a virtual absence of heart disease and chronic illness.  Later research showed that the retinas of the oldest residents were comparable to those of 45 year-olds.

In 1981, the Ecuadorian government hired medical journalist Dr. Morton Walker to study the residents. In his book, “The Secret to a Youthful Long Life”, Dr. Walker reported on the good health of the elderly villagers, which he attributed to the mineral rich water in Vilcabamba. The water flows into the valley from the Podocarpus National Forest, a protected Ecuadorian regional preserve which claims to have pre-Ice Age microorganisms and one of the world’s few remaining pristine rainforests.

British biochemist, Dr Richard Laurence Millington Synge, a Nobel Chemistry Prize winner and the man who discovered amino acids, stated that there are remarkable medicinal qualities to be found in the plant life in Vilcabamba, particularly with regards to their anti-oxidant properties.

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Age Exaggeration?

While it is clear that the residents of Vilcabamba experience optimal health, a number of skeptics have come forward to challenge the incredible age claims of the residents.

According to The Bewildering History of the History of Longevity by Peter Laslett, “geographical variation in the incidence of long life is no doubt a reality but better general survival does not demonstrably raise the probability of extreme ages and systematic, skeptical analysis of these confidently asserted propositions has condemned them as entirely baseless.”

Indeed, a few inconsistencies started to appear in age reports following Dr Leaf’s initial research. For example, in 1971 he had met a man who said he was 122 years old. However, when Dr Leaf returned to Vilcabamba in 1974, the same man claimed to be 134 years. This tendency to exaggerate age was found to be linked to a cultural trend to treat the elderly with great honor – the older they were, the more respect they were given. Although this trend had been around for centuries, Dr Leaf theorized that the international publicity and rise in tourism, may have encouraged the villagers’ exaggerations.

Dr Leaf acquired the help of Dr. Richard Mazess of the University of Wisconsin Madison and Dr. Sylvia Forman of the University of California Berkeley to investigate the correct ages of Vilcabamba’s elderly population. This research revealed a problem with checking ages against birth and baptismal records – many family members carried the same first and last name. This meant that the birth date of an identically named uncle or father appeared to confirm the extreme longevity of a resident. The research team finally reached the conclusion that “Individual longevity in Vilcabamba is little, if any, different from that found throughout the rest of the world.”

While many still insist that Vilcabamba has a disproportionately high level of very old people, rumors of ‘Shangri La’ and the ‘Land of Eternal Youth’ can safely be dismissed. However, although the people of Vilcabamba may not live longer than the rest of the world, they certainly seem to live better. Their hard work at high altitude, combined with an excellent diet, good water, lots of sunshine, and few outside influences have kept generations of Vilcabambans happy and healthy. Vilcabamba today is a popular destination for visitors and tourists to seek an escape from the stresses of daily life, just as the Inca rulers had centuries before.

Featured image: View over Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Credit: Waldorf27 / Dreamstime

References:

Bland, A. (2013). Vilcabamba: Paradise Going Bad? Life in this legendary town in Ecuador’s Valley of Longevity may be too good—and too long—to be true. Smithsonian.com. Available from: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/vilcabamba-paradise-going-bad-21774567/?no-ist

Laslett, P. The Bewildering History of the History of Longevity. Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research. Available from: http://www.demogr.mpg.de/books/odense/6/02.htm

Mazess, R.B. & Forman, S.H. (1979). Longevity and age exaggeration in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Journal of Gerontology. 34(1): 94-98.

Vilcabamba: the town of very old people – Hoaxes.org. Available from: http://hoaxes.org/archive/permalink/vilcabamba_the_town_of_very_old_people

Vilcabamba, Ecuador – Lonely Planet. Available from: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/ecuador/the-southern-highlands/vilcabamba

By April Holloway

Het bericht Secrets of Vilcabamba, Playground of the Inca and Valley of Longevity verscheen eerst op Community Adventures Ecuador.

The ruins of the Pucará de Rumicucho are well-preserved walls of an Pre-hispanic, Incan fortress. They are located a one hour drive north of Quito, Ecuador. The fortress was built in the end of the 15th century by Tupac Yupanqui, the tenth Sapa Inca (God Emperor). However, archaeologists have shown that the site predates the Inca period and served as more than just a military stronghold. The key location of the site corresponds well with astronomical activities as well. Today the ruins are well-maintained and frequent tourist visits, as well as indigenous ceremonies, take place there.

Architectural Features of The Stone Fortress

The name Pucará de Rumicucho, is Kichwa meaning fortress (Pucara) of stone (Rumi) corner (cucho), often translated as The Stone Fortress. This is an obviously descriptive name for at least one of the previous uses of the site. It has also been called Lulumbamba – “fertile plain.” It is believed that it was constructed between 1480 and 1500, by the Inca ruler Tupac Yupanqui.

The structure on the site consists of five terraces and measures at 400 meters (1312 feet) long, 100 meters (328 feet) wide and 20 meters (65.5 feet) high. The cut-stone walls are made up of pucarui (reddish color) and pugshi (volcanic ash) as well as chocoto and pumice stone. The dating of the fortress construction of between 1480-1500 has been decided upon by this particular stone and mortar combination.

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The stone fotress is situated atop a hill, providing a perfect view not only of invading forces, but also of the mountains surrounding it on three sides and the valley to the South.

Artifacts Discovered at the Site of Rumicucho

Archaeologists have been excavating the Pucará de Rumicucho since 1976 when Ecuadorian archaeologist, Eduardo Almeida, started his study of the site financed by the Ecuadorian Central Bank Museum. It  was continually excavated from that time until 1990.

Rumicucho was rich in cultural material and some of the artifacts encountered at the site include: stone tools, metal, ceramic pottery (mostly creted by local Pre-Inca cultures), and shell and camelid bone objects such as needles, hairpins, awls and zoomorphic figurines. Today these artifacts are mostly exhibted in the Banco Central Museum in Quito, although an on-site museum has recently opened with the goal to return materials “home” and to increase the cultural and social value of the site.

The Multi-Use Site of Pucará de Rumicucho

The Pucará de Rumicucho is part of a chain of Incan fortresses showing their expansion and military rule over captured lands. The Incan military infrastructure often included paths, bridges, tambos (inns or resting places) and pucaráes (fortresses). The Pucará de Rumicucho was constructed as a military control center in the Quito territory, helping to advance the conquest over the Cayambe and Caranqui villages.

Although the Rumicucho fortress was arguably constructed during the Inca period, there is a strong belief by archaeologists that the site was used before the Incan invasion of Ecuador. Archaeological evidence suggests that it may have also been used by the Pre-Incan Caranquis, Quitus, Panzaleos and Cuasmal. Another explanation for Pre-Inca artifacts is that the Incas living at the site shared the space with the local communities.

Archaeologists have divided the site of Rumicucho into three sections for different uses based on their discoveries. There is the ceremonial section on the third terrace, a ritual and food consumption space on the first and second terraces, and it is believed that the rest of the space was used for workshops and housing.

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The Secrets of the Oval Rooms and Rumi Jatun

Two oval rooms and the Rumi Jatun (giant rock), which is aligned perfectly with two mountains have lead many to believe that the site of Rumicucho also had an important astronomical role. Some have suggested that the rock represents the sun during the day and at night it can be filled with water as a mirror of the stars. The two rooms have been associated with the solstices. As is known, the Inca civilization had an advanced knowledge regarding astronomy and often built their structures with it in mind.

The two rooms and the giant rock are located in the northern part of the ruins, and despite rigorous studies, it has yet to be discovered what secrets they hold. It has only been agreed upon that they were not casually created.

The Secrets of the Oval Rooms and Rumi Jatun

Two oval rooms and the Rumi Jatun (giant rock), which is aligned perfectly with two mountains have lead many to believe that the site of Rumicucho also had an important astronomical role. Some have suggested that the rock represents the sun during the day and at night it can be filled with water as a mirror of the stars. The two rooms have been associated with the solstices. As is known, the Inca civilization had an advanced knowledge regarding astronomy and often built their structures with it in mind.

The two rooms and the giant rock are located in the northern part of the ruins, and despite rigorous studies, it has yet to be discovered what secrets they hold. It has only been agreed upon that they were not casually created.

Modern day Uses of the Stone Fortress Site

These days the Pucará de Rumicucho, like many Andean archaeological sites, serves sacred connection to the past. The location on the equator has connected it to a ritual of the “hombre sin sombra” (man without a shadow.) Many indigenous shamans have used this space for rituals during solstices.

The site is also popular for tourists and students. The well-maintained space and beautiful views has created interest for local and to a lesser extent foreign tourism. For these reasons the stone fortress has been routinely visited since Almeida’s excavations in 1976.

Due to the number of visitors to the site for sacred, educational and touristic purposes, there is a real concern by local authorities for the future of the Pucará de Rumicucho. The urban advance also threatens as Ecuador’s capital city continues to grow. One can hope that the well-planned Incan astronomy as well as the archaeological and sacred value of the site will preserve it.

Featured image: The ruins of the Pucará de Rumicucho, San Antonio de Pichincha, Ecuador (INyar/Flickr)

By Alicia McDermott

Het bericht Pucara de Rumicucho Is More than just an Incan Stone Fortress verscheen eerst op Community Adventures Ecuador.

By Suzan Haskins, InternationalLiving.com

This article comes to us courtesy of InternationalLiving.com, the world’s leading authority on how to live, work, invest, travel, and retire better overseas.

She’s a wanton woman with a feather beneath her skirt, cause for her constant state of libidinous arousal. Men and women alike are smitten with her overpowering beauty and limitless energy. But she has a temper, this one. When her flirtations are not returned, her anger boils and she quite literally blows her top like nothing you’ve ever seen.

So goes the Quechua legend of “Mama” Tungurahua, the hot and bothered volcano that regally rises from lushly-forested terrain about a three-hour’ drive south from Ecuador’s capital city of Quito.

Perched just five miles from Mama’s summit on her northern side is the town of Baños (population about 20,000). As the lore goes, Baños is Mama’s love child, and she protects it. She’s certainly passed on an inheritance, for—thanks to Tungurahua’s hot temper—Baños is blessed with an abundance of thermal waters. Those waters, and the stunning natural setting, have made Baños a popular spa and outdoor-sports town, as well as home to a small community of expats.

The town’s full name is Baños de Agua Santa: the holy water Baths. (And note, Baños does not mean “bathrooms.” It means “baths,” like the kind you soak luxuriantly in.) The name gives tribute not to Mama, of course, but rather to the town’s other famous patron, the Virgin Mary.

Nuestra Señora de Agua Santa—our Lady of the holy water—is said to have appeared at nearby waterfalls from time to time, and it’s believed she protects those who invoke her name during times of crisis. “Our lady watches over us,” a local man said in a television interview, speaking of the Virgin after Mama’s most recent pyroclastic fit.

The neo-Gothic Basilica Reina Del Rosario De Agua Santa—built to honor the Virgin—is a local pilgrimage site, and is decorated with graphic artwork of the many miracles she’s credited with. Appropriately enough, the Basilica, which sits in the heart of Baños, is constructed of volcanic rock from Tungurahua.

For many visitors, though, Baños’s thermal baths are miracle enough. You’ll find several places to soak away to your heart’s content here, in pools of varying degrees of delicious heat. The most popular public baths are right in town at the base of the 260-foot waterfall called Cascada de la Virgen, where Nuestra Señora allegedly once appeared. A shrine there is dedicated to her and her healing waters.

For certain, water is plentiful in this part of Ecuador. More than 60 waterfalls cascade into the surrounding countryside from the slopes of the volcano. The entire province, called Tungurahua in honor of you-know-who, is fully and self-sufficiently powered, thanks to the Tungurahua hydroelectric facility located just outside Baños.

The surrounding landscape is crisscrossed with steep bluffs, deep river gorges, and expansive plateaus. With all this natural beauty, it’s no wonder that Baños, cupped in a small valley at about 5,900 feet above sea level, is a thriving tourist town, equally popular with both Ecuadorian and international visitors. And with more than 100 hotels and hostels and a nearly continuous round of parades, festivals, and special events throughout the year, the mood in Baños is always festive and
upbeat.

You’ll find just about any outdoor activity that exists: hiking, canyoning and rappelling, bungee jumping, zip-lining…how about a breathtaking ride in a tarabita (cable car) that swings from a mile-long cable across 500-foot-deep gorges? You can go mountain biking, horseback riding, rent an ATV or dirt bike, or just kick back in one of the many spas offering massages, facials, and more.

Water sports are popular, too, of course. Kayaking, white-water rafting, and more can all be enjoyed within just a few miles of Baños. The town, considered one of the safest in Ecuador, is also known as the “Gateway to the Amazon.” Just 30 miles downhill from Baños is the town of Puyo, the country’s largest jungle town. Puyo sits on the banks of the Puyo River, which eventually dumps into the vast Amazon River.

Still, for all its near-perfect, year-round weather (temperatures average 55 F at night up to about 80 F during the day) and wealth of activities and attractions, Baños is not high on the radar for expats looking for retirement destinations.

There is, though, a small and fairly active group of Canadian, European, and U.S. residents in Baños. Mountain-biking enthusiasts Jim and Marshia Redd had traveled to the area many times from their home in Chicago before they decided to purchase La Posada del Arte in 2004.

The hotel has been a successful venture for them, they say. A couple of years ago they bought an adjacent property and expanded to double the hotel capacity. “This has been a fantastic investment,” Jim says. “It pays for itself every two years.”

Additionally, Marshia is president of Fundación Arte del Mundo, a non-profit foundation that operates an after-school library and theater for local children. They’ve opened the Stray Dog Brewpub with their son, Jason.

Likewise, Canadians Rob Tiessen and Robyn Moulyn had traveled all over Ecuador before finding themselves in Baños six years ago with their then-teenaged children. An artist who specializes in wildlife, Robyn fell in love with the natural surroundings and awe-inspiring vistas. (See her website here.) She recently finished the illustrations for a book and is making her own art paper from abundant local banana stalks.

Rob still works in the oil industry in Canada. Even with traveling back and forth for assignments, they say that by living in Ecuador, they spend less money and enjoy life more.

“What I find fascinating about Baños,” Robyn says, “is that, for being such a small town, it’s very much aware of its international appeal and caters to that with its friendliness and care of the tourists. And did I mention the variety of foods available? From vegetarian to French cooking. We have it all.”

All the attributes, in fact, that make Ecuador an attractive retirement destination can be found in Baños. The cost of living is low…a couple can live comfortably just about anywhere in Ecuador on $1,500 to $2,000 a month. The average furnished rental costs $300 to $500 a month.

A local mercado (farmers’ market) just two blocks from the basilica is open every day. There you can find all the fresh local produce you might want, and at a fraction of the price you’ll pay in the States, where it’s all imported, of course.

Health care in Baños is adequate, as you might expect in a town that caters to adventure tourism. And a new hospital is being built. For now, though, for anything of a serious nature, you’ll need to travel an hour away to the larger city of Ambato, or to Quito.

Certainly, don’t go to Baños expecting to find a mature real estate market. While there are certainly properties for sale, there is only one official real estate company. You’ll need good Spanish chops to communicate with the proprietor and his staff. The website listed on the business card they gave me doesn’t work, making it hard to get a handle on area prices.

But with a bit of digging, we found one 1,400-square-foot, three-bedroom, one-bath house in a typical local neighborhood selling for just $47,000. It’s perfectly habitable but will certainly require some upgrading to make it something I’d personally appreciate.

Another more likely candidate is near the Río Pastaza. A red-brick house of 2,600 square feet with a red-tile roof, it has four bedrooms and five baths and is selling for $90,000. Two nearby lots that border the river, each 1,700 square feet in size, are listed for $8,000 each.

And on a quarter-acre lot with a view of Mama Tungurahua herself, a 3,550-square-foot house, with four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and even a small pool, is selling for $120,000. It’s lovely inside, with tile floors and cantilevered wooden ceilings, and will require little, if any, improvements.

A Quick Guide for Taking the Cure in Baños

How to Get There: Catch a bus to Baños from Quito’s Quitumbe Station for $3.60, or via a door-to-door shared van for $20 per person plus $5 for a large bag. To reserve, call 022-082-165 / 099-048-9374 / 098-752-9599. A private taxi from Quito will cost $70 to $80.

Where to Stay: You won’t have trouble finding accommodation in all price ranges in Baños. We’d recommend La Floresta at $58 for a double or La Posada del Arte at $65 to $70 for a double. Both include breakfast. For upscale accommodation in hotels with private thermal pools and up-close views of Tungurahua, check out Luna Runtun or Hotel Sangay.

Where to Eat: There are many excellent restaurants in Baños. Popular Café Hood is owned by U.S. expat and longtime Baños resident Ray Hood. (Not to be confused with Casa Hood, also good.) We also had a most enjoyable meal at the antique-filled Café Mariane.

Don’t Miss: A visit to the Basilica is a must. And for $6 per person, take the full-day, double-decker bus excursion that will take you to the most famous sites. These include waterfalls and canyons where you can ride the cable cars or go zip-lining. (Be sure to reserve a seat on the top deck and don’t forget your rain gear. And definitely try the empanadas!)

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Het bericht Baños, Ecuador: A Thriving Tourist Town With Hot Springs and “Miracle” Cures verscheen eerst op Community Adventures Ecuador.