The Quimbayas and mushrooms: A fertility cult of frogs and mushrooms related to a goddess among the Quimbayas in prehispanic Colombia

Abstract

The mystery around the indigenous Quimbaya tribe who lived in prehispanic Colombia is deep and it has not been resolved till now. Systematically exterminated by the Spanish crown there is not much information that exists about them. There is no knowledge about their mythology and the gods they worshipped are unknown. Very few books and research about this subject in comparison with other indigenous Colombian tribes. The first study on mushroom cult between the Quimbayas were published by Schultes and Bright (1979). In this research we discussed more observations to reconfirm the ideas proposed by Schultes and Bright from different samples examined at museums of gold and archaeology in Bogota. This will bring new insights around the possible use of mushrooms by the Quimbayas in Prehispanic Colombia.