The Lost Cities of Central And South America - El Dorado
El Dorado means "the golden one" in Spanish, and this term perfectly describes this legendary city. Almost everyone has heard about El Dorado. It's been a big dream of many treasure hunters, and of all the lost cities, it has been surrounded by the greatest amount of rumours and ambiguity.
Some connect El Dorado with the mysterious "City of Z" that was searched for by the missing explorer Percy Fawcett. Although the others claim that this lost city is located somewhere else.
Some of the information about the hidden treasure in the Amazon jungle comes from Spanish conquistador and explorer, Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada (1496/1506/1509 - 1599). It was him to whom some captured native allegedly told the story about the Lake Guatavita (Laguna de Guatavita) in Colombian Andes, to which chief from Muisca tribe regularly offered valuable gifts.
Is this lake a real El Dorado?
[Lake Guatavita. Image Source]
The City or The Lake?
Quesada's report about the treasures at the bottom of the lake caused an intense gold fever between the conquerors and the treasure hunters. Because of this there had been some success, but the retrieved trove did not fit with the previous descriptions about the enormous riches of all time. According to some, the proper treasure is hidden at the exact bottom of the reservoir, but during the last attempt of draining the water in 1912, the slit became as solid as the concrete. If there is any treasure, it will be very difficult to get to it.
We also have to take into consideration the testimony of Spanish soldier, Juan Martin de Albujar, originating in the end of 16th century. This man was the only surviving member of the expedition from 1570. His companions were allegedly murdered by local natives. Albujar was kept alive and brought to the beautiful city, which was later believed to be called Manõa. There, he was astounded to see the streets paved in gold and the wealth that no European could imagine.
Was he telling the truth?
If so, then it is possible that he reached the legendary El Dorado.
[Spanish conquistadors trapped in the Amazon jungle. The scene from the film "Aguirre, The Wrath of God". Image Source]
The Real Meaning
Today, the experts are quite sceptical in they way they approach the issue of existence of El Dorado, in comparison to the old treasure hunters. "The legend of El Dorado endures, because you want it to be true", said Jose Oliver, an archaeologist from the Institute of Archaeology at University College London.
It probably all depends how we define El Dorado. If we imagine that it is a city hidden in a rainforest, full of gold and riches, then it is likely to be a myth. On the other hand, if we mean vast, hidden civilisation in the Amazon jungle, then there is no doubt that it existed.
[Ciudad Perdida (Spanish for "Lost City"), Colombia. Image Source]
Therefore, one of the most popular explanations of the origin of El Dorado goes back to where it all began - to the Colombian Lake Guatavita. There, in 16th century, Spanish conquerors met the natives from the Muisca tribe who were, in fact, very skilled in gold metallurgy and who performed a specific ritual associated with this precious metal. The beginning of the rule of each tribal chief was solemnly celebrated next to the lake. The new ruler was covered in golden dust, and then transported on the special raft to the middle of the lake, where he threw away the golden treasure as an offering.
So maybe El Dorado is not at all a city but Spanish name for the initiation ritual for the new tribal leader.
[Famous golden Muisca raft (1200 -1500 CE). Image Source]
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