Who were the Chachapoyans?
The Chachapoyan Federation once dominated the jungle-covered Montana region of northeastern Peru. They existed in Peru for at least a thousand years (c. 600 A.D.), but some Peruvian officials have claimed at least 2300 years. Spanish and Incan chroniclers made only brief and vague references to them, but they described them physically as being tall and fair skinned (the remains of their mummies verify this). Some have speculated that their land was the Biblical Ophir, others that they were the descendants of Phoenician, Egyptian, Celtic or even Atlantean colonists (they have access to the Atlantic via the Maranon and Amazon rivers). They may have been the "cousins" of the Incas and/or Chavin. There is also the possibility that the Caucasian race migrated both to America and Europe from some third location.
The Chachapoyans(1) were conquered by the Incas around 1475-1480 A.D. by Topa Inca (also known as Tupac Inca and Tupac Yupanqui(2)). Ironically, the Chachapoyans goodwill towards the Chancas may have led to their downfall. The Chancas were the archenemies of the Incas and most were wiped out by the Incas; but some took refuge in the southern portions of the Chachapoyan confederation. Years later the Incas pursued the Chancas by building a military road in the area (Von Hagen wrote that, "Hate and fear had built this road."). Unfortunately, this road also gave access for the mighty armies of the Inca to the cities of the Chachapoyans.
When the Spaniards arrived the Chachapoyans first fought with them against the Incas as allies and then against them. Many Chachapoyans probably died from the European brought small pox virus which devastated Peru just before Pizarro's landing(3). In December of 1532, a detachment of Spaniards under Hernando de Soto first visited the area(4). The Chachapoyans held out against the Spaniards with the Incas of Vilcabamba and were not completely conquered until the capture of the last Inca, Tupac Amaru, in 1572 (or possibly later). Evidence of their independence and alliance with the Neo-Incan Empire can be seen from the recently discovered Chachapoyan/Incan tombs at Leimebamba near the heart of the Chachapoyan lands.
Although little is known about them, the region is stilled filled with the remains of their circular buildings, temples, and forts. What they left behind suggests that they were a very religious or mystical race.
Their vast jungle and mountain kingdoms virtually disappeared during the Spanish conquest of Peru. They are to this day an enigmatic people who were nearly forgotten by time.
148 posted on 12/9/01 10:19 PM Pacific by blam [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 138 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
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(More on the Chachapoyas. I can't help but recall the story I read about King Solomon's mines possibly being at the headwaters of the Amazon River)
The Mysterious Petroglyphs of the Chachapoyans
There are two categories of Chachapoyan glyphs. There are basic pictoglyphs and there are glyphs that appear to be letters of some sort. The pictoglyphs were probably used as mnemonic devices to help the ancients recall stories, prophecies, and histories. The letter-like glyphs may have spelled out whole words, or, like ancient Hebrew, they may represent only part of the word and again act mainly as a mnemonic device. Unfortunately we do not have a Chachapoyan Rosetta stone to solve the mystery of these glyphs.
Some have attempted to crack the code by using Inca, Semitic, Celtic, and Universal symbology as their guide. One reader of Ancient American translates "The Wall" in issue 22 as follows: The "hare" figure is symbolic of a solar storm, which has occurred during various major historical events, such as the destruction of the Temple Mount and the Mayan civilization. The next solar "coronal mass ejection is scheduled for December 1999 through July 2000."
Using Carl G. Liungman's Dictionary of Symbols as my primary source, I came up with another, possible, meaning to that same portion of "The Wall" near San Pablo. Assuming general or universal interpretation, the symbols tell a story of a very significant person who came to the Chachapoyans and will come again (or has already come again). The sun or a comet is also tied into the story somehow.
Many Chachapoyan glyphs bear a striking resemblance to Aryan/Celtic and Semitic glyphs. However, many of these may be just coincidences. For example, if you told a person in Africa to tell a story with symbols and a person in South America to tell a similar story with symbols the two resulting products would probably bear similarities; even though the two people had no contact or knowledge of each other. Nevertheless, the similarities between Chachapoyan glyphs and some Inca, Celtic, early Christian, and other civilizations are uncanny and warrants further investigation.
...snip...
149 posted on 12/9/01 10:59 PM Pacific by blam [ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 148 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]
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And Hiram sent in the navy his servants,
shipmen that had knowledge of the sea,
with the servants of Solomon.
And they came to Ophir,
and fetched from thence gold,
four hundred and twenty talents,
and brought it to king Solomon..
I Kings 9:27,28