Underwater Archaeological Research in Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Introduction

Lake Titicaca has long been known to be not only the largest but also the most sacred lake in the Andes. Near it arose the population and ceremonial centre of Tiahuanaco (Tiwanaku), capital of one of the most important civilizations of South America. The Tiahuanaco culture began its rise around 3000 A.D. and lasted until ca. 1100 A.D., extending far into Peru and northern Chile. Tiahuanaco ceremonial sites were constructed along the shores of Lake Titicaca, indicating that the lake was considered sacred nearly 2,000 years ago. At the time of the Spanish conquest in the 1500s, one of the most important religious sites of the Inca empire was located on the Island of the Sun in the lake. The Incas believed that they originated from Lake Titicaca and that the deity Viracocha began his acts of creation there. Clearly Lake Titicaca played a dominant role in Andean beliefs for almost two millennia.

Legends about the lake abound. Among them are several which describe underwater cities, roads and treasures. With the development of underwater diving equipment, it was inevitable that investigations of the lake would begin. The potential value of such studies not only resided in the discovery of structures and artifacts, but in the excellent state of preservation that could be expected of some types of items found underwater.

In this article I will briefly summarize underwater archaeological research in the lake and describe a site at which ritual artifacts have been found belonging to both the Tiahuanaco and Inca civilizations. The site and finds made there will then be analyzed within the context of prehispanic and current-day beliefs about Lake Titicaca.

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