August 6, 2020

An Important Inca Offering Found on a Reef Under Lake Titicaca

A llama carved from a spondylus shell and a cylindrical laminated gold foil object, dated at 1500 CE, were the contents of a Inca carved stone box found at the bottom of Lake Titicaca.

Divers found Inca offerings in earlier explorations in 1977 , and from 1988-1992 at the Koa reef. These new offerings were found at the K’akaya reef.

Researchers at the Université libre de Bruxelles have been investigating the reefs on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca was a focal point for the Inca; a pilgrimage site, a place for alliances.

The lake is largely unexplored and there will be many more discoveries.

The research is published in Antiquity.

Penn State News has the report here with photos;
https://news.psu.edu/story/626838/2020/08/03/research/ancient-shell-llama-offering-found-lake-titicaca

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