Posted on 11/07/2004 5:39:09 PM PST by blam
2004: Top finds on Bolivian highlands
Finnish scientists discovered the most significant relics of antiquity in recent Bolivian history.
In the excavations on Pariti Island in Lake Titicaca, in the highlands of Bolivia, the historical-archaeological research team of the University of Helsinki discovered a ritual offering site with well-preserved pieces of ceramics. The find adds substantially to what is known about the Tiwanaku culture, which flourished before the Incas and for which the island was probably an important religious site.
The dig contained approximately 300 kilograms of deliberately broken ritual ceramics, which, according to radiocarbon dating, have been buried sometime between 9001050 AD, says Antti Korpisaari, an archaeologist from Renvall Institute. Some twenty vessels have been preserved intact. The objects can be compared to the best china of a royal household or sacramental communion vessels.
Many types and ornamental elements of vessels discovered on Pariti were completely new to scientists. People are depicted very realistically on the objects, providing a rare insight into the life of the Tiwanaku elite.
By comparing small details, such as clothing, headgear, jewellery and even facial characteristics, to other finds from the highland area, we can actually start drawing conclusions about the ethnic identities of the people who lived there at the time. The discovery also provides new information on the relationship between the Inca and Tiwanaku cultures, Korpisaari says.
The historical-archaeological project Formations and Transformations of Ethnic Identities in the South Central Andes, AD 7001825 also included an extensive general survey of the Bolivian highlands during the fieldwork season of 2004. This, for example, led to the discovery of the location of ancient Paria, the lost Southern centre of the Inca state.
Read more about the research activities of the project on its website.
Text: Sanna Schildt Photo: Antti Korpisaari www.helsinki.fi/verkkotoimitus
Translation: Valtasana Oy
No apologies necessary. You've been so knowledgeable in so many of your posts...I just assumed you knew about the Chapapoyas. Read the below.
Pre-Incan Ruins Emerging From Peru's Cloud Forests (Chapapoyas)
Scientists from Helsinki University have discovered what are being considered as the most significant relics of Bolivian antiquity in the South American countrys long history. This announcement was made via the universitys well-developed communication services, which include news of the week on science and research topics and knowledge databases.
Fragment of a vessel representing a noble Tiwanaku woman found on Pariti in 2004 © Helsinki Universitys Antti Korpisaari
In their excavations of a site on Pariti Island in Bolivia, a team of archaeologists from Helsinki University (HU) discovered well-preserved ceramic remnants in what appears to be a ritual site. The find adds substantially to what is known about the Tiwanaku culture, which flourished before the Incas and for which the island was probably an important religious site.
Little is known about the Tiwanakus because they left no writings and their culture died out in the 11th century. Records show they settled on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca in the Andean mountains around 400 BC. They built their administrative centre the city of Tiwanaku which is around 75km west of Bolivias capital La Paz between 300-500 AD, and their influence on the region continued to grow for several centuries.
Surveys of the island, which took place over the summer, uncovered a cache of about 300 kilograms of deliberately broken ritual ceramics which, radiocarbon dating reveals, were buried some time between 900-1050 AD. Some twenty vessels have been preserved intact, says Antti Korpisaari, an archaeologist at HUs Renvall Institute who participated in the dig. The objects can be compared with the best china of a royal household or sacramental communion vessels, he notes.
Bases of knowledge
Many fragments and ornamental elements of vessels discovered on Pariti were completely new to scientists. Representations of the people on the objects are very realistic, the scientists explain, providing a rare glimpse of how Tiwanakus elite may have lived. Comparing small details, such as the clothing they wore, their jewellery and even facial characteristics, with other finds from the highland area, the Finns are building a picture of the ethnic identity of these ancient people.
Together with Bolivian archaeologists, the Finnish university has carried out excavations in the area around Lake Titicaca the second largest in South America and the highest navigable by large vessels for some 15 years. The discovery demonstrates that the Tiwanakus made the highest quality ceramics in the Andean region, with very naturalistic portraits, professor Martti Paerssinen, the leader of the dig, is quoted as saying.
The discovery provides new information on the relationship between the Incan and Tiwanaku cultures, adds Korpisaari. The project also included an extensive general survey of the Bolivian highlands during the fieldwork season of 2004. This led to the discovery, among other things, of the location of ancient Paria, the lost southern centre of the Incan state.
Much of the detail provided in this article came from press material produced by Helsinki University itself. Through its weekly science and research news, readers can follow the progress of this dig and other activities at HU. The site also provides links to several knowledge databases through which visitors can get a picture of research projects and activities, publications, patents and expertise at the university. According to the site, the databases are used by the Ministry of Education and for compiling statistics and university annual reports.
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> Wanna guess the ethnicity of the guy in the above photo?
If I had to guess, I'd say Maori. The lines on his face look very much like "Te Moko", a Maori facial tattoo that was is just much scar tissue as it is tattoo.
(Maori traditionally used rat's teeth to chizel in an elaborate tattoo pattern into the Maori Warrior's face, and the Maori Warrior was not permitted to utter a single sound throughout the process.)
A real moko, even today, has an almost 3D texture to it: a fake one looks exactly like a 1D tattoo.
Te Moko, done properly, takes a very, very brave person to undergo the process (Maori women had it done too -- usually to the lower lip only).
Kia Kaha
DieHard
LOL.Pretty good.Is that an original?
Heh heh... nope, it’s an oldie. The version above was one I tracked down on the web as a result of searching for the punch line. ;’) Another oldie for which that would work is, “Let your pages do the walking through the yellow fingers.” ;’)
And those statues remind me of...
The Hassidic Jews.
bttt
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