"I hope the fog clearing", my wife said as the van sped down the slope of Infiernillo deep into the clouds. We needed light to take good photos in the lost city of Quilmes Indians.
The story goes that at the time of the conquest, in the territory of Tucumán (northwestern Argentina today), a tribe of warlike Indians fiercely opposed to the Spanish advance. Unlike its northern neighbors that, before the fall of the Inca Empire had come to accept Spanish rule, the inhabitants of these valleys calchaquíes, the Quilmes, wanted to take the defeat of the Inca to recover their ancient liberty.
We reached the area preserved, after passing through the museum Amaicha Valley (Province of Tucuman Argentina), just before sunset; undoubtedly the best time. We were staying in a small hotel within the grounds, made possible this we visit the place where the tourists had already been removed, and we may even come back with the first rays of the morning. Huge cactus of four and five meters high called cacti seemed to welcome us.
We climbed the hill on small paths. On both sides stacked stone walls delineating the old houses and defenses of that city inclined
Spain struggled to contain a rebel group but did not know where they lived. Finally, in 1667 Governor Alonso Mercado y Villacorta gave them. Unable to penetrate the defenses that were built on high decided to encircle. After a time the natives had to surrender. The punishment for their rebellion: exile.
We left our luggage in the rooms and we hurried to walk through the ruins with the magical evening light. The cactus and some goldfinches were the only locals who seemed determined to show the beauty of the place. We climbed the hill on small paths. On both sides stacked stone walls delineating the old houses and defenses of that city inclined.
The Quilmes were for parcels, which meant outright slavery. His fate was seven leagues from the city of Buenos Aires, so they had to go over 1.200 km. Only a third of the population came alive. Over the years the Quilmes of missing parcels, either because they died or because in the process of indoctrination lost their language, their beliefs and traditions and, therefore, their identity. Thus the survivors left to tell who they were. Shortly after the revolution for independence from the Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata was assumed that there were no Indians in the Mission Santa María de Quilmes and the land was used to establish the town of Quilmes, today a suburb of Buenos Aires. But where was the lost city of Quilmes in Tucuman these? The secret was taken to the tomb the Spanish governor and the unfortunate Indians.
Reconstruction was widely questioned. The height of the walls, the shapes of the rooms and the pictures on the walls were not known, be assumed
When we reached the top of the ruins we saw the full beauty of the place. Before us a plain dominated by cacti. Could almost imagine the Spanish riders approached the Indian city. Dark clouds appeared on stage giving more drama.
And 1888 a traveler in northern Argentina gave notice to have found ruins on the hillside. When the students arrived they found that the description given by the conquerors coincided with the rise. They were facing the ruins of the lost city of Quilmes. Arrowheads recovered, ceramics and other items that were aware of pre-Hispanic lifestyle. Archaeological remains were dated from the tenth century which meant that the site was inhabited continuously for more than 600 years. Past studies ruins again be at peace until the last military government decided it had a good opportunity to increase income from tourism. Ordered to reconstruct the ruins.
From the heights we saw that the reconstructed portion was only a small fraction of the total area was inhabited. We take the last light to travel these parts. Everything was wild; more difficult to imagine the original appearance, but true. The sun went away and we returned to the hotel to download photos to computer, select the best and decide which places should resume shooting the next day. We had that advantage, early morning tourists have not yet.
Reconstruction was widely questioned. The height of the walls, the shapes of the rooms and the pictures on the walls were not known, be assumed. Fortunately, the money just enough to make a part of the reconstruction. A few years later passed into private hands all in a dubious privatization.
But ... what happened to the Quilmes? It turns out that some might escape the siege and lived in the same mountains for centuries. For much of American Indian was a bad word to be so many hid their origin. In recent years there has been a revival of Native American pride and formed dozens of partnerships seeking to recover indigenous ancestral rights. The descendants of the Quilmes rescued a Royal Charter that gave this lot to the locals. That decree had been ignored by the first governors. So, Quilmes recently regained possession of his "lost city".
Coordinates: Lat-26gr 27min 53seg, Long - 66gr 2min 11seg
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