Calima culture

The Calima culture was a group of ancient societies that lived in the Valle del Cauca in Colombia from about 200 BCE to 400 CE. They were part of many early cultures in the Americas before European explorers arrived.

Four main societies made up the Calima culture: the Ilama, Yotoco, Sonso, and Malagana cultures. Each of these groups lived in the same area and built on the traditions of those who came before them.

Today, we can learn about the Calima people through the many beautiful objects they left behind. Two special museums, the Calima Darién Archaeological Museum and the Calima Gold Museum, show these artifacts and help us understand the lives of these ancient people.

Ilama culture

By 1500 BCE, the Ilama culture, the first society that farmed land and made pottery, appeared along the Calima River, near the present day towns of Restrepo and Darien. The Ilama people lived in groups led by a chief, called a Cacique. They made textiles, worked with metal, hunted, fished, and farmed. Yuca and beans were important crops. Their jobs included leaders, spiritual guides, warriors, farmers, hunters, potters, and gold workers. Their ceramics were usually red and black and showed religious pictures.

Yotoco culture

By 100 CE, the Ilamas evolved into the Yotoco Culture. They expanded their area along the Cauca River, reaching toward the Pacific Ocean and south to where the city of Cali now stands.

The Yotoco people thrived in this region until around 1200 CE. They lived in organized communities led by leaders called caciques. As their numbers grew, they developed better farming methods to grow food like maize, yuca, beans, arracacha, and achiote. They also became skilled at making colorful pottery and working with gold. Their culture began to decline in the 6th century CE.

Sonso culture

The Sonso culture lived from around 800 to 1600 CE during a time called the Late Period I. During this time, more people lived in the area, and the government became more organized. The Sonso people made fewer kinds of pottery, and their metal items, like gold, were often mixed with copper and shaped by pouring molten metal into molds.

Malagana culture

The main place where we find clues about the Malagana culture is called Malagana. This culture lived from 300 BCE to 300 CE. People discovered the site in 1992, but sadly, many valuable items were taken very quickly. The Malagana people made beautiful pottery, often white or a earthy red colour. They also made special musical instruments called ocarinas, big bottles known as alcarrazas, and unique pots with two spouts and a bridge, called double spout and bridge vessels.