Cerro Rico

Potosí · Bolivia · Mine

The silver mines of Cerro Rico have been worked since 1545 and are said to have swallowed countless workers' lives – the peak is called 'the mountain that eats men'. In the tunnels, clay figures of El Tío keep watch: a horned being with glowing eyes, a fusion of the Andean underworld god Supay and the Europeans' devil. Every shift begins with gifts of cigarettes, liquor and coca leaves, for whoever skimps on the offerings risks cave-ins, accidents and death. Above ground God rules, the miners say – but below ground, El Tío decides.

FAQ

Hvor ligger Cerro Rico?

Cerro Rico ligger i Potosí, Bolivia.

Opplysningene bygger på lokal folketro og vitneskildringer.

Image: Consulnico · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons