Chibcha

A South American people who lived in the high valleys around the modern cities of Bogota and Tunja in Colombia. They had a population of more than 500,000 and were more centralized politically than any other South American people outside the Inca empire. Each of the many small districts had its own chief and they belonged to several lesser states that in turn were allied to two major states, each headed by a hereditary ruler. The arrival of the Spanish cut short the Chibchas' development and their political structure was crushed in the 16th century. Their language was no longer spoken by the 18th century. Archaeological evidence is of a scattered rural population who cultivated highland crops and traded salt and emeralds for cotton, gold, and luxury goods. Gold, copper and tumbaga (a copper-gold alloy) were also worked in a variety of techniques. The ceremonial coating of the chief's body with gold leaf may well by the origin of the El Dorado legend. Chibcha's ceremonial practice centered around sun worship and included human sacrifice.

Culture centred on the eastern cordillera of Colombia, near to present-day Bogota, which was still flourishing in the 16th century at the time of Spanish contact. Much of what is known comes from historical documents of that time, although excavations at the huge site of La Ramada have provided some archaeological information. Large populations living in palisaded towns were governed as autonomous chiefdoms by an absolute ruler. (The ceremonial coating of the chiefs body with gold leaf may well be the origin of the El Dorado legend.) Ceremonial practice centred around sun-worship and included human sacrifice. Rituals associated with the culture hero/god Bochica show marked similarities to rituals connected with Mesoamerican deities. The Chibcha were successful agriculturalists, farming, among other things, maize and potatoes. As such, their artefact inventory (especially ceramics) tends to be utilitarian; distinctive human effigy vessels, however, may have some ritual significance. Gold, copper and tumbaga (a copper-gold alloy) were also worked in a variety of techniques — soldered wire embellishments are characteristic — but the art style is rather crude compared to contemporary Columbian cultures such as Tairona.