El Fuerte de Samaipata

El Fuerte de Samaipata or Fort Samaipata, also known simply as "El Fuerte", is a Pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Florida Province, Santa Cruz Department, Bolivia [1]. The archaeological site at El Fuerte is unique as it encompasses buildings of three different cultures: Chanè, Inca, and Spanish [1]. The site of Samaipata was occupied as a ritual and residential area about 300 CE by the Chané of the Mojocoyas period [1]. They began shaping the great rock that is the ceremonial center of the Samaipata ruin [1]. The Samaipata archaeological site of about 20 hectares is divided into two parts: a ceremonial sector and an administrative/residential sector [1]. The ceremonial sector is in the northern part of the site [1]. It is about 220 metres by 60 metres and consists mostly of a large rock saddle almost completely covered with carvings of both Inca and pre-Inca origin [1]. The carvings include a variety of geometric and animal figures, walls, niches, and long canal-like carvings called "the spine of the serpent" or "el cascabel" [1].