PreColumbian Horizons Project

The first steps to the achievement of PreColumbian Horizons Project had been performed on the days 1st thru 4th of August 1998: the first Brazilian team (composed by Marcel Stefano, Marco Simi and Jefferson Silva) with the AKAKOR GEOGRAPHICAL EXPLORING's directive committee (Lorenzo Epis and Soraya Ayub) moved to Sorata, province of Larecagia, locality situated in a valley dominated by the Illampu (6362 meters) and the Anchuma (6427 meters), in the Northern Royal Cordillera, to perform some physical and chemical measurement on the water of the subterraneous river in San Pedro Cave (LA-SO-01). Topographical coordinates of this cave had been collected, and a plate of the Bolivian Cadastral of Speleology had been applied to the entrance. All the documentative materials (the map of the cave, carried out by Soraya Ayub, Lorenzo Epis and Alessandro Anghileri during Humajalanta '98 Pre-Expedition in December 1997 and January 1998) were delivered to local authorities.

This project is the result of many studies realized during three years of research and investigation with allowed the staff to identify in the basin a great potential for exploration and further studies.

A constant interaction among many cultural, scientific and governmental entities arose a great interest in developing a series of researches.

The pre activities convinced us that the best geographic areas to produce the first researches were the areas around the Sun and Moon Islands at the foot of the Real Mountains. Those areas were also connected to a series of mystical events and the hypothesis of a complete city in the depths of the lake.

Nowadays Lake Titicaca is that remains of an old inland see known as Ballivan. More recent studies revealed that circa 5000 ago the lake reduced its volume dramatically allowing many civilisations to raise in its newly fertilise lands.

Many other events caused the water to raise again to the its old level submerging centuries of Incan civilization with its enormous value. This discovery would certainly bring about new theories about the pre-incan civilisation.

The main objectives have been chosen first from a specific bibliography, then the visit to the place, this certainly the hardest part, due to the great size of the area, the hostility of the environment and the difficulties in the relationship among different cultures and people.

The results, however, were very positive. Here we must thank also the Italian Embassy and the Bolivian Cultural Ministry that put at out disponibility three archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology.

The data collected will be compared, elaborated and with a synergetic approach integrated in a multiple aspect. In addition will be decided the labour division, the choice of the participants, the local contacts, the partnerships and the structural logistic.

We called this project Atahuallpa in homage to the last Incan king.

Expeditions of PreColumbian Horizons Project are, actually, these: