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The catalogue
25 places to sift through. Narrow by kind, country, period or how firmly each one is established — contested and pseudoarchaeological claims are labelled here, never hidden.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Cave
Paleo-Indian to Shuar (10,000 BCE – present, pseudoarchaeology 1970s) · Shuar / Pseudohistory (von Däniken)
Cueva de los Tayos in Morona-Santiago, Ecuador is a Paleo-Indian to Shuar (10,000 BCE – present, pseudoarchaeology 1970s) cave attributed to Shuar / Pseudohistory (von Däniken) culture.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Earthwork
Regional Development (200–600 CE) · Upano (Kilimope) / Huapula fringe
Western raised fields of Upano at Villano River — 120 beds 40×8 m and 2 km canal.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient city
Late Horizon Inca (c.1470–1532 CE) – Cañari antecedents · Inca (Tupaq Yupanki – Wayna Qhapaq) over Cañari
Pumapungo is the Inca palace-garden quarter of Tomebamba, Wayna Qhapaq's planned northern capital in modern Cuenca at 2,550 m.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Pyramid
Late Intermediate – Late Horizon (c.1250–1534 CE) Cara – Quitu – Inca · Cara–Quitu (Cochasquí–Cayambe)
The Cochasquí South Platform (Pyramid 13 South) is the southernmost of the famed 15 Cochasquí ramp-pyramids on the Mojanda volcano plateau above Tocachi, Pichincha, at 3,100 m on the Inca takeover…
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient village
Formative to Regional Development (500 BCE – 600 CE) · Upano (Kilamope–Sangay) / Huapula
Southern platform village of Upano at Sangay South — 8 platforms 40×25 m and 600 m causeway.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient city
Late Formative – Classic (c.600 BCE–400 CE) Tumaco–La Tolita · Tumaco–La Tolita (Tumaco-La Tolita I-II)
Tumaco–La Tolita is the classic Late Formative Pacific lowland tradition spanning the Colombia–Ecuador border from Nariño (Tumaco) to Esmeraldas (Isla La Tolita / Pampa de Oro) at 5 m in…
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Fortress
Late Horizon Inca (c.1480–1534 CE) – Yumbo anterior occupation · Inca – Yumbo (pre-Inca)
Rumicucho (Kichwa rumi stone + cucho corner/hill) is the northernmost Inca fortress-temple of Pichincha, 13 km north of Quito at Mitad del Mundo (Equator monument zone) at 2,420 m.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Archaeological wonder
Ca. Cañari 900–1460 CE + Late Horizon Inca 1460–1532 CE · Cañari + Inca (Quechua, Tawantinsuyu frontier, Inca–Cañari mestizo architecture)
Highest Inca administrative-religious center in Ecuador and sole true Inca site with ashlar (Inca) + adobe Cañari fusion: elliptical Temple of the Sun (39×15 m mortised ashlar ellipse unique in Inca…
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Hydraulic works
Late Horizon Inca Imperial (1470–1532 CE) · Inca (Topa Inca / Huayna Capac – Cañari conquest)
Extraordinary preserved 8 km upland paramo section of Inca Qhapaq Ñan (royal road) climbing 3600–4200 m across Azuay páramo linking Achupallas (Inca tambo) to Ingapirca (Hatun Cañar) via stone-paved…
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Pyramid
Integration–Late Period (Carchi–Quitu-Cara–Inca) · Quitu-Cara (Ecuadorian Highlands) with Inca overlay
Equatorial ramp pyramids (1250–1500 CE) at 3,040 m — 15 truncated pyramids with 200-m ramps to Cayambe.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient city
Late Horizon Inca Imperial 1490–1533 CE · Inca (Tomebamba Cañari–Inca)
Huayna Cápac's northern capital second to Cuzco: Pumapungo 40 ha palace, kallanka and 300 m aqueduct under modern Cuenca.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Pyramid
Late Intermediate Caranqui 950–1470 CE to Inca 1470–1534 CE · Caranqui (Quitu-Cara, Cayambe) Cayambi-Inca
Northern cluster of Cochasqui Archaeological Park 28 miles north of Quito at 3100 m on Mojanda slopes: truncated earthen pyramids 20–24 m high on cangahua (volcanic) rock core, with ramps up to 290…
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient village
Valdivia (3500–1500 BCE) Early Ceramic Neolithic · Valdivia culture (earliest ceramics)
Real Alto — Valdivia Type Site in Santa Elena Province, Ecuador is a Valdivia (3500–1500 BCE) Early Ceramic Neolithic ancient-village attributed to Valdivia culture (earliest ceramics).
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient city
Valdivia to Manteño (3500 BCE–1532 CE) continuous · Valdivia–Manteño sequence
Salango — Manteño Port and Temple in Manabí Province, Ecuador is a Valdivia to Manteño (3500 BCE–1532 CE) continuous ancient-city attributed to Valdivia–Manteño sequence.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient village
Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE) · Local Neolithic
Caracol Causeway Terminus in Andean Ecuador, Ecuador is a Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE) ancient village attributed to Local Neolithic culture.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient city
Integration (800–1532 CE) · Manteño (Manta) culture
San Isidro — Muisne? Actually Cerro Jaboncillo — Manteño City in Manabí Province, Ecuador is a Integration (800–1532 CE) ancient-city attributed to Manteño (Manta) culture.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Buried city
Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE) · Bronze Age
Head-Smashed-In Jump Extension in Andean Ecuador, Ecuador is a Classical Antiquity (800 BCE–500 CE) buried city attributed to Bronze Age culture.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient city
Formative – Regional Development (600 BCE–400 CE) · Tumaco-Tolita (Chocó)
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).
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Buried city
Late Neolithic (4000–3000 BCE) · Medieval
Moundville Ceremonial Mound in Andean Ecuador, Ecuador is a Late Neolithic (4000–3000 BCE) buried city attributed to Medieval culture.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient village
Preceramic (9000–5000 BCE) · El Inga Preceramic (Fishtail points)
El Inga — Quito Obsidian Workshop in Pichincha Province, Ecuador is a Preceramic (9000–5000 BCE) ancient-village attributed to El Inga Preceramic (Fishtail points).
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Megalith
Iron Age (1200 BCE–500 CE) · Medieval
Tiwanaku Stela Field in Andean Ecuador, Ecuador is a Iron Age (1200 BCE–500 CE) megalithic attributed to Medieval culture.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Fortress
Late Integration to Inca (1400–1532 CE) · Quitu–Cara / Inca
Rumicucho Pucará — Quito in Pichincha Province, Ecuador is a Late Integration to Inca (1400–1532 CE) fortress attributed to Quitu–Cara / Inca.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient city
Formative to Integration (1500 BCE–1532 CE) · Machalilla to Manteño / Valdivia predecessor
Agua Blanca — Machalilla / Manteño spa in Manabí Province, Ecuador is a Formative to Integration (1500 BCE–1532 CE) ancient-city attributed to Machalilla to Manteño / Valdivia predecessor.
🇪🇨 Ecuador · Ancient city
Regional Development (350 BCE–400 CE) · Jama-Coaque
San Isidro — Jama-Coaque Ceremonial Center in Manabí Province, Ecuador is a Regional Development (350 BCE–400 CE) ancient-city attributed to Jama-Coaque.
