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The Quitus were Pre-Columbian indigenous peoples in Ecuador who founded Quito, which is now the capital of Ecuador.^[1] The inhabitants' existence spanned from 2000 BCE to the beginning of the Spanish conquest of the city in 1524. Their occupation spanned from the strip of land from Cerro del Panecillo in the south, to plaza de San Blas in the centre, the area where these first inhabitants lived. Today, this strip has extended to become the city it is now. The Quitus are responsible for the capital's name and are of unknown relation to the town of Iquitos.

History

The Quitu people were conquered by the Cara culture. Juan de Velasco wrote in his 1767 book, Historia del Reino de Quito, the Cara founded the Kingdom of Quito around 980 CE.^[1] Together, the two cultures formed the Quitu-Cara culture.

Historians Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño and Alfredo Pareja Diezcanseco contested the existence of such Kingdom and pointed to the dubious existence of that date, having no evidence of Quitu remains. The Quitus existence does not prove the contested Kingdom of Quito, only gives credence, and partially supports its existence. This belief is today seen by archeologist^[2] as an important concept, for it spared their archaeological remains from tomb robbers. Within the country today tomb robbers are recognized to have depleted other cultures of their archeological remains, most made of gold. They loved art and music. They used wooden instruments during this time.

Organization

Excavations made on tombs showed the Quitus shared the belief of an afterlife, where they needed to retain certain belongings, and therefore were buried with them. Essentially the Quitus were agricultural people seen as a "pueblo alegre y festivo" (happy and festive people).^[3]

See also

• Cara culture


• Pre-Columbian Ecuador

References