The myth of El Dorado For centuries Europeans were dazzled by the - TopicsExpress



          

The myth of El Dorado For centuries Europeans were dazzled by the legend of a lost city of gold in South America. The truth behind this myth is perhaps even more fascinating. El Dorado – literally ‘the golden one’ – refers to the ritual that took place at Lake Guatavita, near modern Bogotá. A man, covered in powdered gold, dived into the lake and emerged as the new chief of the Muisca people. Although gold was not valued as currency in pre-Hispanic Colombia, it had great symbolic meaning. It was one way the elite could publicly assert their rank and semi-divine status, both in life and in death.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Jul 2013 22:12:20 +0000

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