Tiahuanaco that the language of the Incas is translated as "Dead city", is one of the most mysterious historical monuments not only modern Bolivia, but throughout pre-Columbian America.

Gates and stairs of the temple Kalasasaya

The terrain is unsuitable for life

The ancient settlement is part of a huge architectural complex of the Kalasasaya, which is located on the high plateau of the Altiplano (4000 meters above sea level). Scientists different dates back to its Foundation. By the most optimistic assumptions, this happened for 10 000 years BC, However, there is another, quite so bold version of the famous Explorer of the Amazon Selva and the border regions of Peru and Bolivia Percy fausett. According to him, the age of the city is no less than several tens of thousands of years. But his arguments we give a little later.

The total area of the ruins of more than four square kilometers. Still unknown who built the majestic structure remains today is not less impressive ruins. Nobody knows. what is the purpose built complex, consisting mainly of temples and buildings of the Palace type. The fact that the location of Tiahuanaco, unfit for human life. Because of the high altitude there too thin air. Tourists caught in these places, complaining of shortness of breath, headache, ringing in the ears.

Immortalized in stone

The Incas believed that the Supreme God Viracocha created in Tiahuanaco the sun. But from the day light, according to legend, to conduct their lineage of their emperors. Incas left and the first, known to historians, the description of the settlement. It was visited by their ruler Malta Capac. Having ascended the plateau, the Indians were struck by the extraordinary spectacle. In the midst of plains stood the ruins of cyclopean buildings and statues unknown gods. There was a supposition that to build such a city could only giants and huge statues of themselves, immortalized in stone. Was born myth that all this beauty was created in the course of one night.

The weeping God

The most famous attraction in Tiahuanaco considered to be the Gate of the Sun. Massive arch carved out of a huge rock monolith-andesite. At first glance it seems that it consists of two vertical plates, which are laid on cross-beam. Actually gate made of a single piece of rock and not weigh one ton, the Dimensions of the arch - three feet high and four feet wide. Over its opening, in the heart of entertaining relief compositions, placed the image of the Supreme deity Indians - viracochi. On his neck wearing beads of the heads of the Jaguar. Robe decorated with images Cougars, birds and fish. In each hand Viracocha holding a stick with a knob in the shape of a head of an eagle. In different directions from the head of God depart sunlight, ending with a picture of a Jaguar. And on the face of the Supreme deity tears roll. Hence another name of God Crying Con-Tiksi Viracocha.

Who are they?

One of the first images of the Gate of the Sun appeared in 1945 on the bill with the largest at that time a nominal value of 5,000 bolivianos.

This is one of the most successful banknote images "business card" of Tiahuanaco. Can be considered a separate fragments of a unique decor, decorated the Eastern side of the famous gate. In the right part of the figure Bons shows relief with winged beings, on the origin and purpose of which not one decade puzzle researchers pre-Columbian America around the world. Arranged in three rows each other figures rushed to the center of the composition, where threatening attitude measurement radiant Viracocha. While figures upper and lower rows are almost the same.

On their heads placed a crown of feathers, face distorted terrible grimaces, behind the wings and stretched forward hand - staves. In contrast, the characters are located in the center of the procession, hiding under the mask of birds of prey. Who are they? The priests? Costumed participants of some long-forgotten celebrations in honor of the powerful gods? Maybe aliens from other planets? Or is it just the old cosmological characters? Each of these assumptions will be supporters of the century today. However, the truth is still under centuries-old deposits of legends and ancient beliefs.

By the way, today the Gate of the Sun, like many other buildings and statues Tiahuanaco, fenced special wire fences. This is done with the purpose of preservation of priceless monuments of history.

The complex was built by aliens?

One of the first version of extraterrestrial origin of the temple complex Kalasasaya advanced Erich von Daniken, paleoherpetology from Switzerland. He drew attention to the headwear of some of the statues, which seemed like helmets astronauts. In fact, they are more like a turban. And in dotted with mysterious symbols clothes stone giants von D?niken dreaming tight-fitting body suits. In addition, Swiss researcher considers it unlikely that our ancestors possessed a sophisticated technology of high-precision processing of solid rock, traces of which at Tiahuanaco meet at

in its construction involved the residents of other continents of the Earth. For example, the Vikings. About it, referring to aboriginal reports, for example, a chronicler from Spain, Cieza de Leon. He recorded the story of the local residents on how to them once came to the people with white skin and large beards, but "being few in number, were destroyed in the battles".

Not without Atlantean

Colonel Percy Fawcett, which was a prototype of Professor Challenger, hero of the novel by Arthur Conan Doyle's "the Lost world", believed that the Indian cultures of South and Central America was greatly influenced by the natives of the legendary Atlantis. Here is a quote from records fausett, devoted to settlement: -Megalithic ruins of Tiahuanaco - the remains of the buildings which were erected not in the Andes. They are part of a huge city, absorbed by the Pacific ocean centuries ago. When the crust of the earth stood up and raised the Grand chain of the Andes, these ruins were raised from the bottom of the ocean and took the heights on which now are".

In the collections of paper money collectors occasionally there are both Bolivian five thousandth of notes, printed in 1945. They have become sought-after objects. The more interesting, I think, will be our readers to look at the second bill, which is very different from the first.