7.    Agua Blanca – located 12 km north of Puerto Lopéz in the province of Manabi, this is where the ancient town of Salangome once stood. It is considered Ecuador´s most important archeological site and was home to the Manteña culture (800 BC - 1532 AD). The most prominent citizen of Salangome was the Lord of Salango, a trader with a fleet of rafts which traversed the Pacific coast from Ecuador to Peru and up to Mexico. The site contains a small community-run museum and a 1.5 km guided walk leading through the area of the ruins. For more information contact the Puerto Lopéz tourism office: (05) 604-168 or (05) 604-160.

8.    Portovelo- the city located in the Province of El Oro was the first mining center of Ecuador, established during the 18th Century.  A zone rich in archeology surrounds the city. Plan Grande which is located 17 km from the town of Portovelo is an archeological complex of great importance, with its Canari and Incan characteristics; a combination of walls, remains of houses and streets of what could have been an important city. Near this complex, there have been found a series of archaeological remains, such as the ones of Chepel, Payama, and Trencilla Magner Turner. Additionally, the Mineralogical Museum Magner Turner is located in the city. It is the most important showcase of minerals in the country and one of the main ones in South America.  The house belonged to the Turner Family and was built between 1950 and 1980. It has now been expanded for this purpose. In this museum, 10,000 precious and semi precious stones can be found. However, the museum does not only showcase minerals, the history of the region is registered there with archeological samples and antiques.  

9.    Atahualpa Archeological Museum- located in the city of Ibarra in the Province of Imbabura, presents a variety of archeological traces of the Caranqui town, discovered in the province.  A tour around the museum allows one to gain knowledge of the customs and lifestyles of this culture.  Another one of the attractions of the museum is the solar clock located on the roof of the building.  The solar clock includes an opening through which light enters thus indicating the time. Admission to the museum is $0.50 and it is open from 9am to noon and from 3pm to 5pm.   

10.    Museum of the Institute of Anthropology- this museum is located in the city of Otavalo in the province of Imbabura. It offers an archaeological and ethnographic sample that allows one to get to know the culture of the Otavalos. Amongst the archaeological remains is the replica of the cranium of the Otavalo man, the controversial piece is said to be 28,000 years of age although subsequent studies have pointed the date as 500 B.C.  Additionally, the museum has a permanent exhibit of musical instruments and a library. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:30 am to noon and 2:30 pm to 6pm.   

11.    Pucara de Rumicucho- is located 5 km from la Mitad del Mundo in the province of Pichincha. The name of this site is translated to the “corner of stone”. The site was a construction for Incan military use with its fortresses raised over a strategic elevation to defend this part of the Tahuantisuyon territory. Scholars believe that an ancient religious astronomic center of Pre-Incan cultures existed at the top of this hill. During the summer solstice people from different ethnicities visit Pucara de Rumicucho to receive and enjoy the energy that the sun gives out.  A taxi can be utilized to reach this site from San Antonio de Pichincha or from the MItad del Mundo. The cost of admission is $1 and hours of operation are Monday through Friday 9am to 3pm; Saturday and Sunday 8am to 4pm.

12.    Museum of the site TULIPE- this is a ceremonial center of the ancient culture of the Yumbos. It is an archaeological zone with seven constructions of stone, with geometric shapes and linked by a canal system forming pools. It is believed that the Yumbos, a group that lived in the area between the period of 800 A.C and 1660 A.C., utilized this area as a religious center to give praise to the earth, the moon, and the water. Purification was one of the important activities of their ceremonies.  They used these pools to observe the movement of the Astros and thus to obtain the necessary knowledge of sowing and fertility. Their people reached vast knowledge in astronomy, architecture, and geometry. In this archaeological complex are 1300 “tolas” (burial mounds) of diverse structures, truncated pyramids, and ceramics not necessarily related to the Yumbos. This museum has three exhibit rooms and the assistance of local guides. Located in Tulipe, 72 km from Nanegalito in the province of Pichincha. Admission is $1 and the museum is open Monday through Sunday 9am to 4pm.  

13.    Cochasqui- a Pre-Hispanic archaeological complex filled with history and culture dates back between 950 A.C. and 1550 A.C. Located 18 km from Guayllabamba in the province of Pichincha, it has fifteen truncated and staggered pyramids along with funerary mounds strategically located on a plain to the south of the Mojanda knot. It is the most important archaeological center in the Northern Sierra. Although it is considered a site with ceremonial, astronomic, and housing purposes; there have been found very few ceramics for ceremonial uses. The original construction of the pyramids was worked with cangahua and chocoto; currently, many of the pyramids are covered in vegetation. It is a center of cultural touristic interest that consists of an archaeological museum and an ethnographic one with representations of indigenous housing. It is recommended to visit the complex in the morning because of the spectacular view of 15 volcanoes that can be observed from its altitude of 3100 meters above sea level. The lakes of Mojanda are located near the complex. Admission is $3 and it is open Monday through Friday 8:30 am to 4:30pm.    

14.    Angamarca- this is a tract of land that used to be rich in minerals. Surrounding this, valuable Pre-Hispanic remains have been found.  Ruins of a possible worship center and a large sculpted stone, named the “Cara de Piedra” translated to “Face of Stone” allow for the approximation of the cultures that lived in the area. The site must have been an important center for the commerce between the cultures of the Coast and the Sierra. Located in the province of Cotopaxi near la Mana.

Back to "Ecuador Archaeology, part 1"

Ecuador boasts a number of important and well-preserved archaeological sites that contain the remnants of ancient pre-Colombian societies. A few of the highlights are:

1. Real Alto – located in the province of Santa Elena along the Ruta del Spondylus, on the turnoff to the town of Chanduy, this site was discovered in 1971 and excavated by a team of researchers from the University of Illinois. The site is dated to 4400 to 1700 B.C., placing it in the middle to late Valdivia period, and shows evidence of the first agricultural settlements in the Americas that used pottery. There are two museums at the site. One is an excellent archaeology museum, showing the process of the excavations and presenting 10,000 years of history of the Santa Elena Peninsula. The second is an ethnographic museum fashioned from the region’s traditional building materials. The museums are open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, and admission is $2.

2. Sumpa – this small but worthwhile site and museum is located near Santa Elena, at the location where the remains of a couple commonly known as the “Sumpa lovers” was unearthed. The couple were members of the Las Vegas culture (8,800 to 4,600 BC). The on-site museum is home to the skeletons, a description of the archeological processes used in the dig, and a model peasant dwelling. It is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm, and on Sundays from 11 am to 3 pm, and admission is $1.00 for adults, and $0.50 for children.

3. Salango – in the province of Manabi, which is a few minutes to the north of Puerto López, this tiny village boasts an excellent on-site museum. The museum houses a collection of 245 pieces of pre-Colombian ceramics dating between 5000 to 1500 BC. The displays include well-researched descriptions of history and usage which gives extensive background on the cosmo vision and cultural of the societies in question. There is also a library and a small gift shop. It is open on Monday to Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.

4. Santa Elena Peninsula – located in the province of the same name, Santa Elena has some interesting pieces. Along the Ruta del Spondylus, the peninsula is one of the richest archeological areas in the country, and features the remains of the ancient Valdivian culture. The local Valdivia museum houses some of the artifacts discovered in the region, including the remains of human beings, clay female fertility statuettes, and various vessels. While the display conditions are not the best, the museum nonetheless has an interesting collection. It is open Monday through Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.

5. Japotó – located in the province of Manabi near to Charapotó, this 29 hectare site was a city inhabited by the ancient Manteña culture and contains a total of 64 “tolas” (burial mounds). In caverns near the site, close to Chone, several petroglyphs may be also observed. Currently, visits to the site consist of informal guided tours and infrastructure is minimal, but plans are underway to make Japotó into a tourist attraction with more amenities and an on site museum.

6. La Tolita – this site is located at the outlet of the Santiago river near to the town of San Lorenzo in the province of Esmeraldas. The site itself is an island that can only be reached by motorboat from San Lorenzo (a ride of about a ½ an hour). The island itself was a ceremonial center for the La Tolita culture (600 BC – 400 AD), with numerous burial mounds and an impressive quantity of finely wrought objects in gold, platinum and ceramic. Fragments of various artifacts can still be found on the beaches and in the areas around the tolas. A small museum run by the local community shows some of the finer specimens collected on the island.

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