Zaruma
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Zaruma | |
---|---|
Town | |
Villa Real De San Antonio del Cerro de Oro de Zaruma | |
ECT) | |
Postal code | EC071150 (new format) |
Area code(s) | (0)72972, (0)72973 |
Website | http://www.zaruma.gob.ec |
Zaruma, officially Villa Real de San Antonio del Cerro de Oro de Zaruma is a town in the south of
Zaruma is known for its republic-era architecture, gold mines, culture and traditions, art and coffee and for having been founded by Spanish explorer Alonso de Mercadillo. These attributes have led to its receiving various titles celebrating both its tangible and intangible aspects, and in 1998 the Ecuadorian Institute for Cultural Heritage submitted it as a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Zaruma was named a Pueblo Mágico (magical town) by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Tourism (MINTUR) in 2019. It is one of five communities across the country that inaugurated the programme that year.[2]
Etymology
The word Zaruma is formed from two
History
First settlers
It is believed that one of the few states existing among early settlers was Zarzas, which contained eleven tribes: the Cariamangas, Catacochas, Catamayus, Gonzanamaes, Guachanamaes, Malacatos, Piscobambas, Vilcabambas, Yanganas and Zarumas.[3]
Integration
It is believed that the Cañari settled in what is now Zaruma canton between 500 and 1400 CE. This is supported by the existence of important archeological sites such as Guayquichuma, Chepel, Payama, Trencilla, San Antonio, Chiva Turco, Tocto Shuqin, Guartiguro, among others, all of which have been attributed to the Cañari.
Inca invasion
In the 1480s, the Cañari settled in Zaruma were overpowered by the
The Inca, now settled in Zaruma, felt compelled to contribute to the ransom of Atahualpa when he was taken prisoner by the Spanish. In 1533, their chief Quinará decided to take a lot of gold in order to pay this ransom. Records say that he crossed the river Pisco Bamba, Catamayo Canton, but on learning of Atahualpa's execution he buried the gold in deep galleries close to the Guatuchi Hacienda in Loja Province.
Conquest and foundation
In 1549, the first Spanish towns were established in this region by the Spanish caudillo Alonso de Mercadillo. Zaruma became very important because of its rich gold deposits, for which reason Philip II of Spain granted it the title of "Villa de Sant Antonio del Zerro de Oro de Zaruma" (Villa Real de San Antonio del Cerro de Oro de Zaruma on October 17, 1593.
On 8 December 1595, Captain Damián Meneses (under the orders of García Hurtado de Mendoza, Viceroy of Peru) fulfilled the royal edict and definitively founded Zaruma. This foundation had much significance for the area, including the loss of its cultural identity due to the imposition of a dominant culture, as well as the formation of rigid structures of injustice against indigenous rights.
On 20 January 1749, the city and the majority of its mines were destroyed by an earthquake. To the misfortune of the Spanish, a large indigenous rebellion erupted and resulted in a mass exodus and the ruin of the city. After this, Zaruma entered into a deep economic depression, but with the efforts of some miners and official aid from the Crown allowed the importation of native peoples to work in the mines, which allowed the improvement of the city's circumstances. Research suggests that between 1536 and 1820, Spain benefited from approximately 2,700 tonnes of Zaruman gold.
Independence
On 26 November 1820, Zaruma declared its independence from Spain. Following the examples of Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, a group of Zaruman patriots supported by Cuencan intellectuals declared their independence despite the fierce opposition of the government of Loja. The architects of its freedom were Fray Justo Gaona and Francisco Barnuevo, together with Ambrosio Maldonado, Bonifacio de los Reyes, Antonio Barzallo, José María Gálvez and José Gusmán y Román, citizens who signed a document at the Loja council house, now considered as its independence act.
After independence, the area fell into a state of deep depression. However, its mining industry never completely disappeared.
Gran Colombia and Zaruma's Gold
On 25 June 1824, Zaruma was raised to the level of canton according to the Colombian territorial division law, which named it as part of the province of Loja, department of Azuay. The Liberator
Restarting the economy
The newly formed state invited technicians and businesses from throughout the world to invest in mining, especially in Zaruma. In 1862, García Moreno created a tax on mining in order to benefit Zaruma municipality. In 1876, Ignacio de Veintimilla hired the German geologist Teodoro Wolf to study Zaruma's mines. Later, in 1860, the Great Zaruma Gold Mining Company Limited was formed with the help of English investments and a total capital of £250,000.
El Oro Province
On 29 November 1882, Zaruma, Machala and Santa Rosa provinces declared the creation of a new province named El Oro, in honour of the region's gold, of which Zaruma was capital until 1884. On 23 April 1884, with the New Law of Territorial Division, the province was recognised but with its capital in Machala.
Crypto-Judaism
It has been widely reported for many years that Zaruma and its neighboring city
In December 2013,
Other dates
In 1990, the Ecuadorian Ministry for Education and Culture declared Zaruma as an Ecuatorian Cultural Heritage site. Since 1998, Zaruma has been on
References
- ^ Citypopulation.de
- ^ "Zaruma declarada Pueblo Mágico de Ecuador – Ministerio de Turismo" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-04-02.
- ^ Mora, Luis F. Ecuador Austral.
- ^ The Lost Sephardic Tribes of Latin America
- ^ El Rostro de una Presencia
- ^ Israel Ambassador visited Zaruma. Archived April 30, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Sherwood, D., Gabriel, R., Brescovit, A. D. & Lucas, S. M. (2022). On the species of Pamphobeteus Pocock, 1901 deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, with redescriptions of type material, the first record of P. grandis Bertani, Fukushima & Silva, 2008 from Peru, and the description of four new species. Arachnology 19(3): 650-674. Online at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/364738566_On_the_species_of_Pamphobeteus_Pocock_1901_deposited_in_the_Natural_History_Museum_London_with_redescriptions_of_type_material_the_first_record_of_P_grandis_Bertani_Fukushima_Silva_2008_from_Peru_and_