Tierradentro, Archaeological park in Inza, Colombia

Tierradentro is an archaeological park containing underground burial chambers decorated with geometric patterns and human figures painted in red, black, and white. These chambers lie several meters below ground and are accessed by spiral staircases leading into the burial rooms.

Tierradentro's hypogea date from the 6th to 9th centuries AD, within a culture that began to flourish around 200 BC and continued into the 17th century. Scientific study started in 1936, when Cauca governor Alfredo Navia sent geologist Georg Burg to San Andrés de Pisimbalá; archaeologist Gregorio Hernández de Alba continued the excavations that same year. UNESCO listed the park in 1995, and the World Monuments Fund put it on its 2012 watch list.

The underground chambers reveal how ancient inhabitants honored their dead through burial practices and decorated the spaces with symbolic designs. The painted geometric patterns and human figures visible on the walls show what these communities valued and how they understood the world.

The park features marked trails connecting different burial complexes, and local guides explain the meaning of each site. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water, as the paths are uneven and walking through the chambers takes physical effort.

The park holds 162 excavated hypogea, and grave robbery emptied most of them before protection began, so pottery and fabrics survive only rarely. The 2012 World Monuments Watch listed the site among 100 most endangered. The painted patterns inside closely match those of San Agustín, but occur here at far higher density.