There’s a reason the Spanish conquistadors wanted to control South America – the gold. The conquistadors were hoping for a big pay out when they arrived in South America. Although the Spanish did pretty well clearing South America of silver, they never found “el dorado” or the mythical lost city of gold.
Traditionally, the native tribes of South America used gold for religious purposes. It often adorned ritual objects, like this sacrificial knife, or tumi. Made of gold, bronze or silver, tumi’s were used to yes, cut the beating hearts out of animals during the annual sun worship. Today hanging a tumi in your home is a medallion of good luck in Peru.
The Spanish conquistadors may never have found el dorado, but Colombia and Peru host lavish collections of Incan and pre-Incan gold in their museums. The metalwork is intricate and fascinating considering the tools (or lack there of) available at the time. We highly recommend checking out the Museo d’oro in Bogota if you get a chance, the items and descriptions are well worth an afternoon.
To see more of our favorite photos from around the world check out our travel photo page. Let us know your favorites and we’ll include them in our photo of the day series.
IF YOU GO: There’s something very tantalizing about gold. Even today it mesmerizes us in the same way it mesmerized the conquistadors. It’s worth it to check out the gold museums in both Lima and Bogota to get a sense of what the explorers saw. You’ll have a much better understanding of what wet their appetite so to speak. Traveling exhibits can be found in the US and Europe, so don’t miss the opportunity close to home. If the conquistadors are more your thing, catch cheap flights to alicante from london and start from the beginning of a conquistadors journey along the Iberian coast.
Sailor says
In one of my cruise to South America I had an opportunity to visit the Museum at Lima, Peru and they have some beautiful collections of the Inca civilizations and yes lots of Gold.
Jillian says
Glad you enjoyed the exhibits as much as we did!