Trifter

The Magdalena River name was derived from the biblical figure, Mary Magdalene. The river flows between two cordilleras, gliding across sandbars, as it makes its way to the Caribbean Sea at the city of Barranquilla.The tireless journey leads to a Valley of Statues in San Agustín in the southern Colombian Department of Huila.

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During the twentieth century, excavation of the site began that resulted in the discovery of more than 500 statues, dolmens, and tombs. There are two different tombs found on the premises, those of the affluent people, and of course, those of the less important.

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The large burial mounds are home to larger aristocracy or prestigious figures, therefore the most fierce and aboding statues are found guarding that area. You will also see such figurines as snakes, frogs, and birds placed strategically on the larger mounds for increased protection into the afterlife.

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The use of color, although faded greatly after centuries, is evident on the smaller artifacts. The larger figures, it seems, were meant to represent deities. The solar gods were the males and lunar gods were the females.

What is fascinating about the Magdalena River Valley is that the evolution of many cultures can be seen on the cultural landscapes. Ideals and perceptions about death, and the approach to the idea of death have been left on tombs as artistic carvings telling a story of live and death. Oddly, this is quite similar to the “Books of the Dead” and (yes, there were more than one) used by the Egyptians. The books were buried with affluent individuals to aid in their journey in the afterlife.

Ongoing research tells us little of the previous cultures that once called this captivating area their home. What we have are small imprints, hardly enough to dissect every inch of history that unfolded here.

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