Construction of the town of Ciudad Perdida

History of the Settlement's Construction

Until a few years ago, it was estimated that the construction of the settlement known as Ciudad Perdida dated back to around 1000 A.D. However, the most recent archaeological research conducted in the park found that the oldest residential areas are approximately from 650 A.D., and were occupied until at least 1100 or 1200 A.D., thus belonging to the period known as Neguanje. Located in the northern sector of the settlement, these correspond to the first group of terraces and rings found at the end of the staircase that ascends from the Buritaca River.

These ancient structures are buried beneath the visible terraces and rings, which provides clues about the construction sequence of this sector and the central axis.

The terraces in this residential complex were apparently constructed in an ascending manner, similar to the sequence of terraces in the central axis, with the large terrace being the last to be built. This suggests that the terraces and stone walls, which were cleaned and consolidated between 1976 and 1986 and are visible today, were constructed between 1200 and 1600 A.D., after modifying and burying earlier constructions.

It was during this period that the design seen today when visiting the park was achieved. Some archaeologists estimate that in the 16th century, Teyuna may have had between 1,500 and 2,000 inhabitants, and if other settlements in the basin are considered, the population of the area may have been around 10,000 people. These are preliminary estimates since it is difficult to make precise demographic calculations for pre-Columbian populations.

Taken from the guide for visitors to the Teyuna Archaeological Park – Ciudad Perdida, from the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History (ICANH).