Muisca Confederation

For other uses of "Muisca", see Muisca (disambiguation).
Muisca Confederation
[[Muisca myths|←]]
~1450–1540 [[Nuevo Reino de Granada|→]]

Banner of the Muisca Confederation
Coat of arms

Muisca Confederation
Zaque rule in yellow
Zipa rule in green
Independent territories in red
Capital Hunza & Bacatá
(~1450–1540)
Languages Chibcha
Religion Muisca religion
Political structure Confederation
zaque & zipa
 •  ~1450-1470 zaque Hunzahúa
zipa Meicuchuca
 • 1470–1490 zaque Saguamanchica
zipa Michuá
 • 1490–1537

1490–1514		 zaque Quemuenchatocha
zipa Nemequene
 • 1514–1537 zipa Tisquesusa
 • 1537-1540
1537-1539		 zaque Aquiminzaque
zipa Sagipa
Historical era Pre-Columbian
 •  Established ~1450
 • Spanish conquest led by De Quesada 5 April 1536
 • Battle of Tocarema 20 August 1537
 •  Decapitation of Aquiminzaque 1540
Area 46,972 km² (18,136 sq mi)
Population
 •  est. 2,000,000 
     Density 42.6 /km²  (110.3 /sq mi)
Today part of  Colombia
Boyacá, roughly the reign of the zaque
Cundinamarca, roughly the reign of the zipa

The Muisca Confederation was a confederation of different Muisca rulers (zaques and zipas) in the central Andean highlands of present-day Colombia before the Spanish conquest of northern South America. The area comprised the current departments of Boyacá, Cundinamarca and parts of Santander with a total surface area of almost 47,000 km² and a population between 300,000 and two million people.[1][2]

The Muisca Confederation was one of the best-organized confederations of tribes on the South American continent.[3]

Muisca Confederation

The Muisca Confederation existed for approximately ninety years of two main ruling states which were in constant conflict with each other; the zacazgo in the north and the zipazgo in the south. Underneath the zipas and zaques the caciques were the main ruling parties. The two factions fought various battles of which the Battle of Chocontá was one of the first described by Western scholars.[4]

The Muisca had a rich culture and economy due to the natural resources which they mined; gold and emeralds were their main trading precious minerals.[5]

Current municipalities part of the Muisca Confederation

As per the map located on the right and this map,[6] the Muisca Confederation was divided into the zacazgo ruled from Hunza, the zipazgo based in Bacatá, known today as Bogotá, the current capital of Colombia and the cacicazgos of Sugamuxi and Tundama. The present-day name of the capitals is shown in parenthesis, the territories ordered from north to south

Cacicazgo - capital Tundama

Cacicazgo - capital Sugamuxi

Zacazgo - capital Hunza

Zipazgo - capital Bacatá

Independent

Enemy indigenous groups

The enemy indigenous groups of the Muisca Confederation were clock-wise:

Lake Guatavita; site of El Dorado
Lake Iguaque
Tequendama Falls
El Infiernito; astronomical site

Sacred sites

The sacred sites of the Muisca Confederation were based in the Muisca religion and mythology. The Muisca were a highly religious people with their own beliefs on the origin of the Earth and life and human sacrifices were no exception to please the gods for good harvests and prosperity.

Lake Guatavita, Guatavita, was the location where the new zipa would be inaugurated. It became known with the Spanish conquerors as the site of El Dorado where the new zipa was covered in gold dust and installed as the new ruler of the southern Muisca.[7]

In the legends of the Muisca, mankind originated in Lake Iguaque, Moniquirá, when the goddess Bachué came out from the lake with a boy in her arms. When the boy grew, they populated the Earth. They are considered the ancestors of the human race. Finally, they disappeared unto the lake in the shape of snakes.[8]

According to Muisca myths, the Tequendama Falls, outside Soacha, was the site where the first zipa Meicuchuca lost his beautiful lover who turned in a snake and disappeared in the waters of the Bogotá River.[9]

El Infiernito, close to the present town of Villa de Leyva was a sacred site where the Muisca erected structures based on astronomical parameters.[10]

Other sacred sites

See also

References

  1. ↑ (Spanish) Muisca Confederation area almost 47,000 km2, page 12 - accessed 21-04-2016
  2. ↑ (Spanish) Muisca Confederation had 300,000 to 2,000,000 inhabitants - accessed 21-04-2016
  3. ↑ (Spanish) Muisca culture - Historia Universal - accessed 21-04-2016
  4. ↑ (Spanish) Umaña, A.C. 1996 - Poesía tradicional Indígena Costarricense - Universidad de Costa Rica - accessed 21-04-2016
  5. ↑ (Spanish) Muisca history; natural resources - Pueblos Originarios - accessed 21-04-2016
  6. ↑ (Spanish) The Muisca - Pueblos Originarios - accessed 02-05-2016
  7. ↑ (Spanish) Legend of El Dorado on the shores of Lake Guatavita - Casa Cultural Colombiana - accessed 21-04-2016
  8. ↑ (Spanish) Birth of mankind from Lake Iguaque - Cultura, Recreación y Deporte - accessed 21-04-2016
  9. ↑ (Spanish) Legend of the lover of Meicuchuca turning into a snake in the Tequendama Fallas - Pueblos Originarios - accessed 21-04-2016
  10. ↑ (Spanish) El Infiernito; astronomical site - Pueblos Originarios - accessed 21-04-2016
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