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Friday, 22 December 2023

3120) "Temple of Kotosh/Religious Tradition," Peru: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases the Relief of Crossed Hands above the Kotosh Temple Wall: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2013:

3120) "Temple of Kotosh/Religious Tradition," Peru: "Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"): A 1 (One) Sol Coin showcases the Relief of Crossed Hands above the Kotosh Temple Wall: Date/Year of Coin issue: 2013:

The Central Reserve Bank of Peru in 2010 unveiled the design for one-sol coins, in its numismatic series called “Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru").

The "Wealth and Pride of Peru" series first began in 2010 with the issue of the Golden Tumi as its motif.

Successive coins were issued such as the Karajia Sarcophagi, the Estela de Raimondi, the Chullupas of SillustaniMachu Picchu, the Monastery of Santa Catalina, the Saywite Stone, the Great Pajaten, the Real Felipe Fortress, and the Temple of Vilcashuamán, and the Ruins/Monolith of Kuntur Wasi.

The Coins launched in this one-sol series included 26 unique designs reflecting Peru’s history and traditions.

The Kotosh Temple/Religious Tradition:

This is a term used by archaeologists to refer to the ritual buildings that were constructed in the mountain drainages of the Andes between circa 3000 and c. 1800 BCE, during the Andean preceramic, or Late Archaic period of Andean history.

Archaeologists have identified and excavated a number of these ritual centres - the first of these to be discovered was that at Kotosh, although since then further examples have been found at Shillacoto, Wairajirca, Huaricoto, La Galgada, Piruru, among others. 

These sites are all located in highland zones that are lower than the Puna, and yet there are considerable distances separating them. In spite of this, all these cases of highland preceramic public architecture are remarkably similar.

Kotosh tradition shows numerous links with the Chavín culture that emerged at most of these sites subsequently.

KOTOSH is a pre-ceramic archaeological site in the Huánuco region, in the highlands of Peru's central Andes, where 10 superimposed buildings have been identified.

While clearing a terraced temple, the "Relief of the Crossed Hands", a bas-relief made of dried mud and thought to date back more than 4,200 years, was uncovered, making the site one of the oldest on the American continent in terms of religious architecture and sculpture.

Cultures represented here are - Kotosh Religious Tradition and  Chavín culture.

Kotosh is an archaeological site near the town of Huánuco, Peru, consisting of a series of buildings comprising six periods of continuous occupation.

Three cultural phases which preceded the Chavin culture were identified at Kotosh,Wairajirca and Mito.

Kotosh Period:

The Kotosh Period culture stratum was situated directly beneath the Chavin culture stratum.

At this stage, maize cultivation has appeared.

Some Kotosh elements show links with the Chavin culture. 

For example - stirrup spouts, plain rocker stampings, and curvilinear ceramic designs. There are also similarities in black paint on red ceramics. Kotosh Black Polished Incised pottery is similar to Classical Chavin pottery.

Wairajirca period:

This is when the first pottery appeared.

Wayrajirca pottery was originally found at its type site Wayrajirca, which is near Kotosh, and this pottery is also known from elsewhere in the northern highlands.

The Wairajirca period continued from the late eighteenth to late twelfth century BC (1750-1150 BC).

The pottery is characterised by the polished brown and black styles decorated with incisions and post-firing paint. The designs are simple and geometric; anthropomorphic figures be added at later periods.

The Kotosh Period strongly maintained the traditions of the preceding Wairajirca Period, including the ceramic tradition.

Mito period:

This was the earliest identified cultural period, which was preceramic

During this period, The Temple of the Crossed Hands was first built. The image of crossed arms is characteristic for the Kotosh temple iconography.

Some Lauricocha culture stone tools were found in this period.

Lauricocha culture is a sequence of preceramic cultural periods in Peru's history, spanning about 5,000 years from c. 8000 to 2500 BC.

The total prehistoric sequence in Peru spans 15,000 years, starting at about 13,000 BC when the first gatherer-hunter societies left their traces in the Ayacucho and Ancash highlands

These were populations that were migrating from the North American continent through Central America and populated the Andes. Traces of these early groups have been found in rock caves of Lauricocha, Pacaicasa and Guitarrero.

The Lauricocha Cave at an altitude of over 4000 m was discovered in 1957 near Lauricocha Lake and the source of the Marañón River, one of the headwaters of the Amazon River. It contained human remains, the oldest found in Peru, which can be dated back to the last glacial period, c. 9,500 years ago.

The Commemorative Coin:

The Reverse of the One Sol Coin features the Crossed Hands above the Temple wall.

To the right is the mint mark "LIMA" of the National Mint House.  

Inscribed towards the upper periphery is the inscription - "TUMI DE KOTOSH - S. XXX. VII a. C." Vertically engraved is seen "1 NEUVO SOL".

On the Obverse of all Peruvian Coins, the National Coat of Arms, the inscription "Banco Central de Reserva del Peru" is seen on the upper Periphery and the Year of Minting is placed on the lower periphery - "2013".

The specifications of the One Sol Coin are:

Country of issue: Republic of Peru; Coin Series Theme"Riqueza y Orgullo del Peru” ("Wealth and Pride of Peru Coin Series"); Coin Theme"Kotosh Religious Tradition - Crossed Hands above the Temple Wall.")"; Coin Quality: Circulation Commemorative Coin; Date/Year of Coin issue: 2013; Denomination of Coin: 1 (One Nuevo Sol); Metal Composition: Nickel-brass; Weight: 7.32 grams; Diameter/Size: 25.5 mm; Thickness: 1.9 mm; Minted ByNational Mint House;  Mint Mark: LIMA; Mintage: 10.00 Million pieces; ShapeRound; Technique: Milled; Orientation/Coin alignment: ↑↓; Edge: Reeded. "Kotosh Temple Tradition."





Links to Posts on Peru:









Links to Posts on Argentina:


Links to Posts on Guyana:

1) A $500 (Five Hundred Dollars) Banknote issued by the Bank of Guyana

2) A $1000 (One Thousand Dollars) Banknote issued by the Bank of Guyana: Date of Banknote issue: 04.03.2019

Links to Posts on Turks and Caicos Islands:

1) A Quarter Crown (1/4) Coin, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), A British Overseas Territory (BOT): The Coin was only issued in 1981 and was since demonetised in 1986

2) A Half Crown (1/2) Coin, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), A British Overseas Territory (BOT): The Coin was issued only in 1981 and was since demonetised in 1982

Links to Posts on Curacao on this Blog:

1) Festival di Tumba (Carnival of Curacao), Curacao: "50th Edition of the Curacao Carnival/Festival" held from 27-31.01.2020: A set of six Commemorative Postage Stamps brought out by Cpost (Curacao Post) on 20.02.2020

2) Trains of South America, Curacao: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of stamps featuring Trains of South America: Date of Stamp set issue: 21.06.2021

3) Willemstad, Curacao: 25 Years of UNESCO World Heritage Site: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of 16 postage stamps celebrating the milestone: Date of Stamps set issue: 18.08.2022

4) Willemstad, (Dutch, Caribbean Island, Curacao), Netherlands: "Dutch World Heritage Coin Series": Tenth Coin in the Series of 10 Euro (Gold) and 5 Euro (Silver) Collector Coins minted by the Royal Dutch Mint (RDM) feature this historic city: Date/Year of Coins issue: 02.02.2023

For some other interesting posts on Currencies of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, please visit the following links:








Links to some other interesting posts from South American countries & Mexico:

1) The Evolution of Mexican Coinage


24) Bolivar Soberano (or "Sovereign Bolivar"), Venezuela: (2018 Series of Banknotes) introduced by Banco de National, the Central Bank of Venezuela on 20.08.2018 


1) Trains of South America, Curacao: Cpost International (Curacao Post) has issued a set of stamps featuring Trains of South America: Date of Stamp set issue: 21.06.2021


4 comments:

  1. Rajan Trikha has commented:
    "Interesting informative post 👍👍"

    ReplyDelete
  2. Santosh Khanna has commented:
    "A VERY informative and interesting article. Thanks for sharing."

    ReplyDelete