La Tolita — Tumaco-Tolita Culture Center
Formative – Regional Development (600 BCE–400 CE)·Tumaco-Tolita (Chocó)·🇪🇨 Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador
About
About La Tolita — Tumaco-Tolita Culture Center
La Tolita — Tumaco-Tolita Culture Center in Esmeraldas Province, Ecuador is a Formative – Regional Development (600 BCE–400 CE) ancient-city attributed to Tumaco-Tolita (Chocó). Mound ceremonial centre with goldwork and ceramic hollow figures on Santiago River mouth. Valdez: Tolita pampa with 33 tolas including La Tolita mound 8 m and gold masks, shell middens.
Why it mattersType-site for highland Tumaco-Tolita (Chocó) occupation
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Culture chronology refinement
- 02Imperial administration model
Theories
- 01Defensive puna adaptation
- 02Wari imperial expansion
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 600 BCE
- Period
- Formative – Regional Development (600 BCE–400 CE)
- Culture
- Tumaco-Tolita (Chocó)
- Purpose
- Mound ceremonial centre with goldwork and ceramic hollow figures on Santiago River mouth
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 600 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1960 CE
Systematic archaeological expedition
On the ground
Structures & features
1.0500° N · 79.0000° W · 5 m · 3 mapped features
- La Tolita — Tumaco-Tolita Culture Center — Plaza and Platform CoreplazaCentral plaza and platform mound1.0502° N · 78.9999° W
- La Tolita — Tumaco-Tolita Culture Center — Residential SectorresidentialDomestic sector1.0498° N · 78.9998° W
- La Tolita — Tumaco-Tolita Culture Center — Cemetery ExtensionnecropolisAssociated shaft or chamber cemetery1.0504° N · 79.0002° W