Seniors Investigate Ancient Civilization

(The Gateway of the Sun) Tiahuanacu is in the Bolivian Andes lying 12,500 feet (over 2 miles) above sea-level. It is said to be the “most intriguing ancient site on the planet.” The original port of Tiahuanacu was built on the shores of Lake Titicaca less then 600 feet away, but whose coastline now lies some 12 miles away. Senior travelers discover the remains of a civilization predating the Incas.

The 10-ton Gateway to the Sun is monolithic, carved from a single block of Andesite granite. It is broken through the center, leading investigators to wonder what sort of tremendous forces could have achieved this feat. So folks, this blog will be a “little different” from other travel blogs you have read here. So on we go.

Seniors Find Megalithic Stones of Puma Pumku

45 miles west of La Paz high, in the Andes mountains, senior visitors can visit the mysterious ancient ruins. The megalithic stones are among the largest on the planet, measuring up to 26 feet long and weighing more than 100 tons each. Puma Pumku (which translates to the Doorway of the Puma) is a large temple complex or monument group that is part of the Tiwanaku site near Tiwanaku, Bolivia.

The ruins are what is left of the Puma Pumku pyramid, a temple that stood at least 56 feet tall. The Nazca Lines in South America remain unsolved in a similar vein. Puma Pumku is so unique in the way that it was constructed, shaped and positioned, that it is said to be the most intriguing ancient site on the planet.

You can read all about Puma Punku on Wikipedia that shows several interesting photos of the high-precision small holes, blind holes of complex configuration and huge stone blocks that baffle scientists today. The initial construction of the Puma Punku dates back to AD 536–600.  The engineering feat is mind boggling with the largest of these stone blocks measuring 7.81 meters long, 5.17 meters wide, and about 1.07 meters thick, and is estimated to weigh about 131 metric tons (288,805 lb).

Marvelous Ancient Architects

Whoever constructed Puma Punku  were marvelous architects. The precise means by which these blocks were positioned remains unknown, in part because the Tiwanaku civilization did not have a written record. The Tiwanaku civilization and the use of these temples appears to have peaked from 700 to 1000 AD. by which point the temples and surrounding area may have been home to some 400,000 people.

Another of the most important archaeological artifacts ever discovered in Tiahuanacu or Puma Pumku is the famous Fuente Magna Bowl discovered in the Titicaca Basin. This bowl has Sumerian cuneiform and Proto-Sumerian hieroglyphic written on it. Skeptoid has a story on that explains a lot about the entire site and its history. All this may whet you appetite for a trip to the Bolivian Andes.  jeb