Mante-Huaca Jocay Pyramid Platform (Manta) — Manteño
Huaca Jocay · Jocay Pyramid · Manteño Jocay · Umiña hill
Integration Period (Manteño-Huancavilca 800–1534)·Manteño-Huancavilca (Manta-Jocay chiefdom)·🇪🇨 Manabí, Manta, Huaca Jocay — Manteño, Ecuador
Ecuador_location_map.svg: NordNordWest derivative work: Jarry1250 (talk) · GFDL 1.2
About
About Mante-Huaca Jocay Pyramid Platform (Manta) — Manteño
Manteño-Huancavilca (Manta) coastal ceremonial pyramid-mound Huaca Jocay on hill above Manta Bay (800–1534 CE), 30 × 50 m low stone-faced platform 6 m high with ramps, Spondylus shell workshops, stone seats (sillas manteñas) and U-shaped plazas. Central of Jocay chiefdom controlling maritime Spondylus-Princeps trade to Peru and Mexico, with balsas rafts. Abandoned at Spanish founding of Manta 1534. Excavated by Presley Norton, Colin McEwan, INPC. Links Ecuador Maritime to Andean metallurgy and Mesoamerica.
Why it mattersCapital of largest Pacific maritime trade network (Spondylus); sillas manteñas (U-shaped thrones) unique; links Andes–Mesoamerica via sea.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Extent of Manta bay port facilities now under city
- 02Whether Jocay was federation or single centre
Theories
- 01Maritime chiefdom vs Inca province power shift
- 02Spondylus route as wealth base like Chimú gold
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 800–1534 CE (Integration Period, Manteño phase 800–1534)
- Period
- Integration Period (Manteño-Huancavilca 800–1534)
- Culture
- Manteño-Huancavilca (Manta-Jocay chiefdom)
- Builders
- Manteño Jocay lords (chiefdom)
- Purpose
- Platform pyramid with maritime trade ritual and throne seats
- Excavation
- Excavated
c. 800–1534 CE (Integration Period, Manteño phase 800–1534)
Initial construction
c. 1449 CE
Rediscovery
On the ground
Structures & features
0.9625° S · 80.7125° W · 15 m · 3 mapped features
Jocay platform pyramid
pyramid30×50 m platform summit
0.9626° S · 80.7126° WSilla throne group east
throneU-shaped stone seat cluster
0.9624° S · 80.7124° WSpondylus workshop terrace
workshopShell cutting debris lower terrace
0.9627° S · 80.7127° W
Gallery