Runias De Rumicucho stepping off point for Inca gold?

[Crow]

Hello All


There is sadly a there is a very narrow view of Ecuador based on Llangantis Treasure legend Story and other region become largely forgotten..

The following place however is one of many sites not worth the risk of being caught digging on a classified historical site. But interesting to visit all the same. It is interesting to note and wonder how much gold flowed through these Inca strongholds. And do hidden treasures still exist along the Inca roads from around these sites?



The Pucara Rumicucho is an Ecuadorian archaeological site located in the parish of San Antonio, in the canton of Metropolitan District of Quito, in the province of Pichincha. It has an area of nearly 3acre It was built by the Incas between 1480 and 1500 for military purposes but by the distribution of its architectural space may have also served to religious matters, but have found materials that reveal the previous and simultaneous occupation of local people as Panzaleos quitus, Caranquis and Cuasmal.

The name derives pucará two Quechua voices: "Rumi" (Stone) and "Cucho" (place), by concatenating the voices get "Rumicucho" meaning "corner stone"; although formerly Lulumbamba of "lulum" (fertile) and "Bamba" or "Pampa" (plain) which means "fertile plain" was called.

These terraces have different shapes (rectangular, square and round) and sizes. Distributed pucará shape is elongated in north-south direction. The distribution of spaces is as follows:



First terrace: Place and ritual food consumption.
Second Terrace: Location ritual and consumption.
Third terrace: ceremonial area.
Fourth terrace: Unknown.
Fifth Terrace: Domestic and residential area
Lateral areas: domestic and residential area





This Ticked various functions such as military, religious and immigration control, but all of them the most important was the first. After the conquests of surrounding areas pucará the Incas built this as a way to consolidate their positions. Most Researchers and archaeologists conclude that the military function Rumicucho met not only by the strategic location in the Pucara was but also the architectural form ie the distribution of spaces and objects found. As for the religious function is notorious architectural form of the third terrace and watching the hills as La Marca and Cayambe, hills are arranged horizontally in an east-west on the equinox the sun walking in that direction and having pucará mind that is within walking distance of half the world. So it follows that Rumicucho was also a place of worship initiation and an astronomical observatory. Besides serving as a checkpoint between Quito and northern peoples, the Incas controlled the entry and exit through Rumicucho Quito.

If ya ever get the chance it might be worth a visit?... most of these places are usually off the usual western tourist Radar...




I wonder what secrets these sites hold and what treasures may lie in hidden secret caves and shrines in the countryside around them?

Cheers Crow

 

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[Crow]

Calling all Moderators...


Old Crow needs help....Er not that

I stuffed up I should of posted this in Inca Treasure legends thread..

Cheers...

 

[Culinary Caveman]

Another fine tale, Crow.
I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed reading your stories of far off exotic lands, people and treasures. If for only a moment they have taken me on a journey away from the everyday responsibilities of the farm. Thank you.

 

[doc-d]

Explorers hot on the trail of Atahualpa and the Treasure of the Llanganates

Explorers claim to have found ruins in the Amazon that could help lead to the Treasure of the Llanganates
The vast structure is a wall, sloping at a 60 degree angle, with a flat area at the top where many of the artefacts have been found
It sounds like a plot from an Indiana Jones film, but explorers claim to have found ruins hidden deep in a dense and dangerous Amazonian jungle that could solve many of South America's mysteries – and lead to one of the world's most sought-after treasures.
The multinational team, including Britons, has located the site in a remote region in central Ecuador which it believes could represent one of the great archaeological discoveries.
They have already unearthed a 260ft tall by 260ft wide structure, made up of hundreds of two-ton stone blocks, and believe there could be more, similar constructions over an area of about a square mile.
Investigations of the site, in the Andes mountain range, are at an early stage and theories as to what it contains vary.
Some of those involved believe it could be the mausoleum of Atahualpa, the last Incan emperor who was captured by the conquering Spaniards, or hold the Treasure of the Llanganates, a vast haul of gold and other riches amassed by his followers to pay for his release.

In exchange for his freedom, Atahualpa is said to have offered to fill a room with gold. But the offer was rebuffed and he was executed in 1533.
His body is said to have been exhumed, mummified and later hidden by his followers in the region in which the new site has been found. According to legend, great treasures – which had been amassed for the ransom – were either buried with him, or separately.
Drawings of Atahualpa, the last Incan emperor (ALAMY)
The search for the tomb and the riches has been one of the world's greatest historical treasure hunts, inspiring many, thus far unsuccessful, expeditions.
Others believe the newly discovered site dates back far earlier, to unknown, pre-Inca cultures from before 500 BC, citing what appear to be rudimentary tools found there.
Local legend has it that the area was once populated by a civilisation of exceptionally tall people and the apparently outsized nature of some of the approximately 30 artefacts found have led some to describe the area as the Lost City of The Giants.
The site, in the Llanganates National Park, is being investigated by a team of British, French, America and Ecuadorean explorers.
Among them is Bruce Fenton, an Ecuador-based Briton and researcher into the region's indigenous cultures, who has been involved in the project for about three months, after he heard of recent discoveries made by local trekkers. He is planning two visits to the site before the end of the month. Also involved is Benoit Duverneuil, a French-American archaeologist, who undertook an expedition there earlier this year.
The Ecuadorean government has been told of the discovery and an official expedition by archaeologists and paleontologists is expected to take place. The site is already attracting groups interested in recovering artefacts.
It is only about 20 miles from the town of Baños de Agua Santa, but it takes about eight hours to trek to it through swampy and mountainous jungle. The site is about 8,500ft above sea level and in cloud forest, where it rains most of the time. One route to it is known for the risks posed by attacks of Africanised – "killer" – bees.
The precise extent of the structure and the possible wider development has not yet been gauged. The vast structure is a wall, sloping at a 60 degree angle, with a flat area at the top where many of the artefacts have been found.
The team believes the summit was used for some form of human activities, possibly sacrifices. Some have suggested that it could have been the venue for human sacrifices, with the incline deliberately engineered to allow a head to roll down the side.
The area is affected by regular landslides and much of the structure is covered by mud and vegetation, making investigations difficult.
There are several other large mounds - also covered in mud and vegetation - within a square mile, which the explorers think could be more man-made structures, as well as what appears to be a road.
The team believes the structure already discovered could contain rooms and Mr Duverneuil, who undertook an expedition to the site in April and May, believes it could be Atahualpa's mausoleum.
"This could be one of the biggest archaeological discoveries ever," he said. "It would be huge. We just don't have structures of this type and size in this part of the world. But we are some way from declaring that yet.
"It looks like a paved wall, an ancient street or plaza with a 60 degrees angle, perhaps the roof of a larger structure. Many of the stones were perfectly aligned, have sharp edges and seemed to have been sculpted by human hands. But there is still a chance that this could be a very unusual natural rock formation."
He has also not ruled out a connection to either the Panzaleo culture, which was established around 600 BC and saw the construction of large temples dedicated to its gods, or the Canari people, who were rivals of the Incas and joined forces with the Spanish during the conquest.
But Mr Fenton suspects it may date back earlier than any of these groups. He believes the site once held a city, built there to capitalise on the gold found in the region's rivers, and could be the size of Machu Picchu, the Inca city in southern Peru.
"This is a very inhospitable area and is still considered very dangerous because of the landscape," he said. "The only thing around there of any value would have been gold. It seems artefacts are spread over a wide area of inhospitable jungle and this only makes sense if a long-lost settlement is present."
Unlike in Peru, where much attention goes to Inca sites such as Machu Picchu, Ecuador's archaeological ruins attract a limited number of tourists and government spending is limited.

For those inclined, Banos is a completely beautiful pueblo to visit, a big tourist destination of both Ecuador and foreign visitors……extremely affordable…
Even Crows are allowed, albeit they limit crow consumption of alcohol to avoid the myriad crow problems in the past.

 

[Crow]

Hello Doc-d

Great post...Here is some really nice pictures of it.

Indeed Doc-d is 100% correct Banos is one of great tourists spots and really beautiful and most of all a starting point for many Lllangantis expeditions. For me I have never been totally sold on the legend in which I do have my reasons. It looked all like a nice commercial ash cow to me... taking gringos out for hike. But Hey it is beyond doubt a beautiful region beyond words....

This discovery is not so recent as people imagine. it has only come into the public eye as of late.. It was known by Eugine Brunner and Rolf Bloomberg for many years.

There has been debate weather it natural feature or Inca? For me I prefer to sit on fence with this one . However it does in which all would agree deeper research by the archeological community is needed.








Cheers Crow

 

[doc-d]

Seems our black feathered friend knows much about treasure and legends worldwide…….and for this I thank him.
It seems to me that we are lacking in knowledge about the Inca and pre-Inca cultures of SA…….we get bits and pieces but most remains to be discovered.

To travel to Banos, is to discover a treasure……..it is one of my favorite places in Ecuador and the world.
If I could convince my wife to live there, I would be living there now……..but with the latino culture, family and extended family are very important and dictate where we live.

Vaya con Dios

 

[Crow]

Seems our black feathered friend knows much about treasure and legends worldwide…….and for this I thank him.
It seems to me that we are lacking in knowledge about the Inca and pre-Inca cultures of SA…….we get bits and pieces but most remains to be discovered.

To travel to Banos, is to discover a treasure……..it is one of my favorite places in Ecuador and the world.
If I could convince my wife to live there, I would be living there now……..but with the latino culture, family and extended family are very important and dictate where we live.

Vaya con Dios

Such is life my friend. Some times we just can't always get what we want. You would not be hard done by if ya ended up living in Banos. Still ya never know where you end up in the world.

Crow

 

[doc-d]

Living in Ecuador is an adventure in itself for me………and I get to Banos often enough……..there are so many truly awesome places to explore there……

 

[Crow]

Doc-D

Then you have truly have found your treasure...

Cheers

Crow

 

[mccoy87]

The article about the discovery in the Llanganates is a bit approximative.
More info here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/dronearchaeology/llanganates/prweb11437760.htm and there En busca de la tumba del Inca Atahualpa - ABC.es (Spanish)

This site was not known by Brunner and Bloomberg since it was not described in their documents (Brunner's manuscripts, Bloomberg's journal/letters/books).
It might have been identified by locals a couple years ago when it was almost entirely covered by vegetation. The site has never been researched and documented by anyone until recently.
Its location is off the path of derrotero de valverde but still in the region of the Llanganates.

While the treasure stories and legends are more than questionnable, it is interesting to read what the Spanish chroniclers wrote about Atahualpa's body.

That said, Rumicucho is a beautiful site and it is worth the trip.

 

[Crow]

Hello Mccoy87

The site was well known for years by a few. I can show ya an old black and white photograph of it. It was also published in Valverdes Gold. Its not a new discovery as some of the media makes out.

Crow.

 

[tintin_treasure]

Hello Mccoy87

The site was well known for years by a few. I can show ya an old black and white photograph of it. It was also published in Valverdes Gold. Its not a new discovery as some of the media makes out.

Crow.

the legend of Llanganates Athahulapa treasure has captivated many for centuries, though there are some doubts on certain aspects of the story. It is my opinion there could be a middle ground in the two views. There may not be much doubt about the existence of Valvarde and his document and the Guzman map,that far we can be safe and we could take the story of the british sailors with a grain of salt and suspicion ....so essentially these related stories just tell us there could be hidden cache of great gold in the Llanganates....About the story of the ransom coming from Quito by Athahulapa half brother(Ruminawi) ,it is better if we do not mix it with the Ververde story.It may be true that a ransom may have been diverted but it may also be just a later date myth as the story is weak in historical documentation. Then how can we reconcile the two disparities? Simple. The gold Valvarde stumbled upon (and the british sailors might or might not have seen) could be another gold storehouse of the inca ,which may not be necessarily related to a diverted ransom gold.The inca was a big empire and they may have many secret gold mines and store houses.It could also be just some part of the gold hidden by the inca from the spnaish again not related to any ransom gold.That way the stories may not contradict.Whether the diverted ransom gold was true or not it does not necessarily disqualify the existence of other gold hidden in the Llanganates mountains.

tintin treasure

 

[Crow]

TT to really understand Llangantis story we need to get to earliest documents available.

Crow

 

[tintin_treasure]

TT to really understand Llangantis story we need to get to earliest documents available.

Crow

Thanks Crow. I am inclined to agree thanks to your careful and candid input on the topic .Based on the lights you shed, as I said in another thread the whole story hinges whether the man Valvarde existed and his document genuine.If that is proved even if other related stories are shaky( like the British sailors ,Ruminawi diverted ransom gold etc),it would still be a good lead to search for lost inca gold in the LLangnates.

tintin treasure