Sáchica

Sáchica
Municipality and town

Church of Sáchica

Flag
Nickname(s): City of onions

Location of the municipality and town of Sáchica in the Boyacá Department of Colombia
Country  Colombia
Department Boyacá Department
Province Ricaurte Province
Founded 16 July 1556
Founded by Juan Velasco and Carlos Rojas
Government
 • Mayor Héctor Antonio Amado
(2016-2019)
Area
 • Municipality and town 62.4 km2 (24.1 sq mi)
Elevation 2,150 m (7,050 ft)
Population (2015)
 • Municipality and town 3,791
 • Density 61/km2 (160/sq mi)
 • Urban 1,875
Time zone Colombia Standard Time (UTC-5)
Website Official website

Sáchica is a municipality Colombia situated approximately 34 kilometres (21 mi) west of Tunja in the Ricaurte Province of the department of Boyacá. Sáchica borders Sutamarchán and Villa de Leyva in the north, in the east Chíquiza, Samacá and Ráquira in the south and in the west Ráquira and Sutamarchán.[1] Sáchica is known as the national capital of onions.[1]

History

In the centuries before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadores, Sáchica was ruled by a cacique loyal to the zaque of Hunza. Evidence of long inhabitation has been found in the form of petroglyphs made by the Muisca who were organized in the Muisca Confederation. The Muisca had their own religion where their main gods were Sué (the Sun) and Chía; the Moon. In Sáchica monuments to both celestial bodies have been constructed.

Modern Sáchica was founded on July 16th, 1556 by Juan Velasco and Carlos Rojas.[1] In 1574 a total of 2500 indigenous people were living in Sáchica, presently only 5% is indigenous, the remainder mestizo.[1]

In the Chibcha language of the Muisca, Sáchica means "our present domain",[2] "fortress" or "mansion of the sovereign".[1]

Rock art

Rock art in Sáchica
Pictographs

In a rock shelter in Sáchica, rock art in the form of pictographs has been discovered. The archaeologist Eliécer Silva Celis pioneered in the study of them in the 1960s. Later research has been performed by Carl Henrik Langebaek, Diego Martínez, Álvaro Botiva, Pedro Argüello García, and others. The black, red and white rock art is present at an altitude of 2,210 metres (7,250 ft) at 5°35′29.058″N 73°31′15.926″W / 5.59140500°N 73.52109056°W / 5.59140500; -73.52109056 and shows human faces, Suns, maize, eyes, mountains, masks, and other figures.[3] The rock art has been produced in rock shelters of Lower Cretaceous formations.[4]

Economy

Sachiquense economy is based on religious tourism, agriculture; onions and tomatoes, and mining; gypsum, marble and clay.[1]

Gallery

Panorama of Sáchica

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 (Spanish) Official website Sáchica - accessed 07-05-2016
  2. ↑ (Spanish) Etymology Sáchica - accessed 07-05-2016
  3. ↑ (Spanish) Las pictografias de Sáchica desde las narraciones orales de sus vecinos - Rupestreweb
  4. ↑ Silva Celis, 1962, p.12

Bibliography

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sáchica.

Coordinates: 5°35′N 73°33′W / 5.583°N 73.550°W / 5.583; -73.550

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 9/20/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.