History of the Lost City Santa Marta
The Lost City of Colombia is a set of ancient ruins located in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in northern Colombia. It is believed that the city was founded by the Tayrona people around 800 AD and was the largest city in the region at that time.
The city was abandoned around 1600 AD and remained undiscovered by the outside world until 1972, when it was rediscovered by a group of treasure seekers. However, it wasn’t until 1976 that it was properly investigated by archaeologists. In 1977, the Colombian government declared the area a reserve, and in 1979, it was designated as a biosphere reserve. Several indigenous communities, descendants of the Lost City Tayrona, such as the Kogui, Wiwa, Arhuacos, and Kankuanos, currently protect and live in great harmony in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
The Lost City site consists of a series of terraces and buildings connected by paved paths and communication walls. It is believed that at its peak, it was home to about 1,000 people. Since its rediscovery, the Lost City has become a popular tourist destination and an important part of Colombian history and heritage. The site is a fascinating example of pre-Columbian architecture and allows insight into the lives of its founders, “the Tayrona.” Today, the Lost City in Santa Marta is a popular tourist destination and is protected as a national archaeological park and biosphere reserve.
Although it is now better known as the Lost City or Teyuna Archaeological Park, this city has received different names such as Green Hell, Teyuna, Buritaca 200, and Hulepia. These different names reflect the city’s long and varied history. Here are some reasons behind its names:
Lost City: This name originated from the description by the first white men who discovered it. They referred to it as the “Lost City of the Indians” when they reported their discovery.
Green Hell: This was the nickname given by explorers to the Amazon rainforest. The area was visited by treasure hunters searching for gold and archaeological artifacts, and it was very challenging to reach. It was a true hell for explorers due to its dense vegetation, making it a very dangerous place because of the animals inhabiting it, hence considered a perilous journey for those daring to seek gold.
Teyuna Archaeological Park: The national government has protected archaeological sites since 1940. Later, in 1950, the Colombian Institute of Anthropology recognized the need to protect these places. In 2007, a new law came into effect defining them as protected areas. This place was named Teyuna Archaeological Park.
Lost City Teyuna: In the Kogui dialect (Tayrona), this word means “Sacred Site.” Natives used to perform their ceremonies here to pay tribute to Mother Nature.
Buritaca 200: The name Buritaca 200 comes from being the 200th site archaeologically discovered along the Buritaca River.
Hulepia: The first treasure hunters to arrive named it this due to its proximity to a stream with the same name.