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| Topic | Neil Armstrong led an expedition to a cave in the Andes mountains in 1976 |
| ChrisReeve 04/24/23 11:23:42 AM #1: | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cueva_de_los_Tayos Cueva de los Tayos (Spanish, "Cave of the Oilbirds") is a cave located on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains in the Morona-Santiago province of Ecuador and shot into fame after astronaut Neil Armstrong visited it during 1976. It is sometimes called Cueva de los Tayos de Coangos (the Ro Coangos is nearby). Description Cueva de los Tayos is located in the high rainforest, 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the Santiago River, and 800 metres (2,600 ft) west of Coangos River. The entrance to the cave has a vertical void of 70 meters and local people were aware of this cave for centuries.[1] According to a GPS measurement in 2008, its altitude is 539 metres (1,768 ft) above sea level. Located at an elevation of about 800 metres (2,600 ft) within thinly-bedded limestone and shale, the principal entrance to Cueva de Los Tayos is within a rainforest at the bottom of a dry valley. The largest of three entrances is a 65 metres (213 ft) deep shaft leading to 4.6 kilometres (2.9 mi)[2] of spacious passages and a chamber measuring 90 by 240 metres (300 by 790 ft). The cave has a vertical range of 201 metres (659 ft) with its lowest point ending in a sump. It is currently (2023) the longest cave in Ecuador. The cave is used by the native Shuar people who descend into the cave each spring using vine ladders and bamboo torches to collect fledgling oilbirds ("gucharos" or "tayos" in Spanish). Written references to the cave go back as far as 1860 and it was visited by gold-seekers and military personnel in the 1960s.[citation needed] The cave is located inside the Sindical Center Coangos (formed by native people). The caves are not fully explored yet and local Shuar Indians have in-depth knowledge of the cave and they act as guides for cave explorers.[1] Access to the cave is restricted. It is necessary to obtain permission (access and temporary visit) and pay a tax (designated to improve the communities) in Suca, Ecuador, at the Shuar Center Federation. (FICSH: Federacin Interprovincial de Centros Shuar) The Gold of the Gods A 1969 expedition to the cave is described in Pino Turollas 1970 book Beyond the Andes. Erich von Dniken wrote in his 1973 book The Gold of the Gods that Jnos Juan Mricz (19231991) had claimed to have explored Cueva de los Tayos in 1969 and discovered mounds of gold, unusual sculptures and a metallic library. These items were said to be in artificial tunnels that had been created by a lost civilization with help from extraterrestrial beings. Von Dniken had previously claimed in his 1968 book, Chariots of the Gods?, that extraterrestrials were involved in ancient civilizations.[citation needed] It is rumored strongly that the cave contains relics of a lost civilisation. [3] 1976 BCRA expedition As a result of the claims published in von Dnikens book, an investigation of Cueva de los Tayos was organized by Stan Hall of Scotland, in 1976. One of the largest and most expensive cave explorations ever undertaken, the expedition involved over a hundred people, including experts in a variety of fields, British and Ecuadorian military personnel, a film crew, and former American astronaut Neil Armstrong.[4][5] The team also included eight experienced British cavers who thoroughly explored the cave and conducted an accurate survey to produce a detailed map of it. This expedition was financed by Government of Ecuador and United Kingdom.[1] There was no evidence of Von Dnikens more exotic claims, although some physical features of the cave did approximate his descriptions and some items of zoological, botanical, and archaeological interest were found. The team found passageways cut neatly and polished deep inside the cave and also burial sites dating back to 1500 B.C.[3] The lead researcher met with Moricz's indigenous source, who claimed that they had investigated the wrong cave, and that the real cave was secret.[6] Deep inside the cave, there are square shaped rock cuttings and rock structures resembling elongated doors and that portion is called Moricz portal. [1]... :O --- https://youtu.be/3GflKh9jlCg https://youtu.be/oPS3gaQJJFQ ... Copied to Clipboard! |
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