COLUMBIAN HISTORICAL EXPOSITION AT MADRID. 45 



as in the field. They give us for the first time a fairly complete state 

 ment of the native tribes present in this portion of South America 

 about the time it first became known to the European invaders. The 

 map which accompanies the first named locates with great accuracy a 

 large number of tribes whose precise residence has heretofore been 

 vague. 



According to the minute and extensive investigations of this scholar, 

 the territory of Colombia was occupied by a great variety of tribes in 

 different stages of culture, not subject to any general government, but 

 constantly at war with each other. When the objects obtained from 

 the graves in different parts are carefully examined, a considerable dif 

 ference is manifest in the style and in the perfection of their artistic 

 execution. It is quite obvious that the condition of those who manu 

 factured them was one of isolation, and that very little communication 

 even of a commercial character was frequent between them. 



With regard to the work in gold, for which this territory was par 

 ticularly famous, it is found to be divisible into three different groups, 

 clearly characterized by contrasting traits, both in the objects repre 

 sented and in the style of workmanship. These three groups are called 

 those of the Chibcha, the Antioquena, and the Quimbaya; these are so 

 clearly of independent character that a person who has thoroughly 

 familiarized himself with their traits will run no danger of mistaking 

 one for the other. Nor does it appear that the artistic development 

 of the one exerted an influence upon the others, or that the products 

 of the one entered by exchange or purchase into the territory of the 

 others. The excavations in the ancient graves reveal objects almost 

 entirely native to the locality, and very rarely specimens which could be 

 attributed to the workmanship of neighboring tribes. 



This statement is equally true in reference to any objects which might 

 have been made, subsequent to the Conquest, in Central America and 

 Peru. The native graves of early date in those regions often contain 

 metal work, pottery or ornaments, which show that the interments took 

 place after the arrival of the Spaniards, and include some objects either 

 brought by them, or imitated from those so introduced. For instance, 

 in both countries, images in pottery of Spanish soldiers or monks are 

 not extremely unusual in the native cemeteries of old date. .Nothing 

 of this kind appears to have been the case in Colombia. When the 

 invading forces swept down upon this thickly settled land, peopled by 

 small tribes not possessing any strong military force and no cohesion 

 among themselves, the whole industry of the country became paralyzed 

 and ceased, once and forever. 



How small comparatively even the most important of these nations 

 was, may be seen from the fact that the one which has most occupied 

 the attention of historians and antiquarians, to wit, the Chibchas, did 

 not control even the tenth part of the present area of the Republic of 

 Colombia. 



