Museum at the bottom of sacred lake
BOLIVIA is to build an underwater museum in its sacred Lake Titicaca.
The move comes after thousands of priceless artifacts were discovered at the bottom of the abyss.
The most recent excavations turned up 10,000 artifacts made from bone, ceramics and metal, cooking utensils, as well as human and animal remains, dating back to pre-Tiwanaku (before 300AD), Tiwanaku (300-1100) and Inca (1100-1570) eras.
“The museum will be both a tourist complex and a centre for archeological, geological and biological research, which will make it the only one in the world,” said Bolivia Culture Minister Wilma Alanoca recently.
Costing US$10 million (RM40.4 million), the museum will be built in partnership with Belgian development agency Enabel, with both Belgium and Unesco contributing US$2 million (RM8.1 million) to the project.
Titicaca is situated close to the town of San Pedro de Tiquina, about100km from the capital La Paz. At an altitude of over 3,800 metres, it is the world’s highest body of fresh water that is navigable by large vessels.
The lake was the birthplace of several local cultures before the arrival of Spanish colonialists, and holds an important place in the hearts of local people.
Legend has it that Manco Capac, the son of the Sun God, and his wife Mama Ocllo, emerged from its waters. One of the main figures in Inca mythology, Manco Capac is believed to have founded the Peruvian city of Cusco, the historic capital of the Inca Empire from the 13th to 16th centuries. – AFPRelaxnews