(3 Feb) – Some discoveries change the history of a country. And sometimes these discoveries have an italian signature. It’s the case of Takesi Project, a research program directed by Patrizia Di Cosimo, researcher at the Department of History and Methods for Conservation of Cultural Heritage at the University of Bologna. She has revealed the discovery of a small pre-columbian town near Inkakata, in Southern Yungas, in the province of La Paz. A new important element in the bolivian history, presented by Di Cosimo with the governor of La Paz, César Cocarico.
The mysterious town is located at 1,800 meters above sea level, at the foot of the Illimani. According to an initial reconstruction provided by the Italian scholar, it seems that this place was the residence of the Inca administrators of La Paz. Then it became a hiding place for the political and religious refugees. The buildings – temples, fences, stairs – are still perfectly preserved and they look very similar to the architecture of “Machu Picchu”.
The “Takesi Project” has brought to light the town after 11 years of research, made with the collaboration of local communities. The Irupana city hall, thanks to this find, has developed a tourism plan called “Route to Illimani”, in order to generate economic benefits in the Illimani and Irupana area. (Ram)
A TURINESE IN SOUTH AMERICA
Patrizia Di Cosimo was born in Turin in 1966 and she graduated in 1995 with a degree in pre-columbian civilizations of America. She has participated at archaeological projects at the site of the Nazca culture of Cahuachi (Peru), in the Archipelago of Solentiname (Nicaragua) and in Southern Yungas, in the province of La Paz (Bolivia). Since 2001 she heads the ‘Takesi Project’, a study of prehispanic roads and related sites in the Southern Yungas, with the scientific direction of Laura Laurencich-Minelli and with the support of the Department of History and Methods for Conservation of Cultural Heritage University of the University of Bologna and Mae.
She is author of articles for italian and american magazines, attending conferences and engaging in educational activities at the University of Bologna and other cultural institutions.
