Salt lake of Coipasa - Bolivia

This aymara girl, with the traditional hat, lives on the Bolivian Altiplano at 4000 m of altitude

Every year, the largest carnival in South America – after Rio, of course – takes place in the city of Oruro, Bolivia. Life here is not easy, though, particularly after the closing of most mines. The simplest meal is a luxury, even if it costs just a few Bolivianos.

A young Bolivian is doing his homework on the steps of the sanctuary of Tiahuanaco.- Bolivia

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
"Sphynx" solaire du haut-plateau bolivien, le légendaire dieu créateur Kon Tiki Viracocha, au masque de Puma auréolé, garde les secrets d'un monde disparu du haut de la fameuse Porte du Soleil de Tiahuanaco. Haute de près de 3 mètres et large de 4 mètres, elle est découpée dans un seul bloc d'andésite, qui pèse plus de 10 tonnes!

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
C'est par la gueule ouverte sur des crocs aigus que s'échappe la fumée des offrandes (résine ou suif de lama brûlés) de cette lampe à encens en céramique, en forme de puma (Tiahuanaco, 667 ap.J.C.). (Haute 20 cm - Museo del Instituto nacional de Arqueologia, La Paz, Bolivie.)

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
En forme de fausse cloche, ce très beau kero à libations en céramique nous dévoile le faciès autoritaire d'un Pakaje de la noble caste solaire des hommes-condor de Tiahuanaco. Hauteur: 16 centimètres. (Museo del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología, La Paz, Bolivie.)

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Kero de la 4e époque de Tiahuanaco (667-1000 apr. J.-C.), est frappé d'un mascaron de ofrenda, masque de tête ornemental d'offrande en relief. H: 13,5cm. (Museo del Instituto Nacional de Archeologia, La Paz, Bolivie)

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Vu du templete semi-souterrain de Tiahuanaco, l'escalier monumental aux six marches lithiques et la grande portada d'entrée du Kalasasaya restaurée. On aperçoit au centre la stèle «Ponce» du sanctuaire du Soleil.

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Le monolithe Ponce, l'un des dieux pétrifiés «géants» et «pleureurs» de la «Mecque» bolivienne, mesure 3 mètres de hauteur. Il est entièrement gravé de glyphes géométriques indéchiffrables. Trois larmes carrées ruissellent de ses yeux d'où tombe, sur le côté, une «aile» à tête stylisée de poisson. Des anneaux entourent ses chevilles.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Puma Puncu, l'un des plus vastes ensembles archéologiques de Tiahuanaco, n'est plus que ruines disloquées et chaotiques. Quel culte ésotérique réunissait des milliers de pèlerins dans l'immense enceinte quadrangulaire? Des clés de bronze fondu dans des mortaises assemblaient les énormes dalles qui gisent pêle-mêle, longues de 8 mètres, larges de 5 mètres, épaisses de 2 mètres.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
A près de 4.000 mètres d'altitude, Koati, l'île de la Lune, profile ses vestiges inca sur le Titicaca, le grand lac le plus «haut» du monde, que couronnent, au fond, les glaciers immaculés de la Cordillera Real de Bolivie.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
L'une des curieuses portes à grecque scalaire de Iñak Huyo, temple et palais des Vierges de l'île de la Lune. 2000 servants et servantes de Quilla, la Lune-Mère, prenaient soin de ce sanctuaire lambrissé d'argent et en cultivaient les terrasses étagées. Les vestales inca y filaient la précieuse laine de vigogne, entretissée de plumes de colibri et filetée d'or.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Idole de pierre de l'île du Soleil (lac Titicaca). Hauteur: 45 centimètres. Ce bossu de l'époque Tiahuanaco (1000-1100 ap.J.-C.) tient un pututo, gros coquillage de mer (Strombus galeatus), utilisé comme trompette par tous les aborigènes des Amériques jusqu'aux Incas et encore de nos jours. (Museo del Instituto nacional de Arqueologia, La Paz, Bolivie.)

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Au coeur du lac Titicaca, dans l'île du Soleil, subsistent les ruines du palais de Manco Capac, l'«Adam» inca, mandé par l'astre-Père, selon la tradition, pour endoctriner les peuples redevenus barbares après un certain «déluge» andin.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Parcourue en 1830 par le voyageur français Alcides d'Orbigny, la stupéfiante chaussée pré-inca de Takezi, en Bolivie, pavée de pierres plates, s'étend quasi en ligne droite "par de larges paliers successifs pour vaincre la pente", sur au moins 65 km.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Fendu de-ci de-là de caniveaux pour l'écoulement des eaux de pluie, ce chemin empierré par les Incas descend vers Copacabana, au bord du lac Titicaca. Chaque année, le 6 août, des milliers de pèlerins aborigènes l'empruntent pour aller implorer la Mamacha, vierge indienne miraculeuse.

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Sur fond d'azur dilué, deux napas, lamas blancs aux longs cous croisés, totems des Collas du lac Titicaca, décorent cette céramique plate à deux anses. Elle daterait de la conquête inca (1300-1470) des tropicales vallées boliviennes. (Instituto nacional de Arqueologia, La Paz, Bolivie.)

The legends are only available in German, French or Spanish
Une autre porra étoilée, en lourde pierre taillée à huit pointes, de l'époque inca (1300-1400). Diamètre: 13 centimètres. (Instituto nacional de Arqueologia, La Paz, Bolivie.)

Aríbalo - Imperial Inca - around 1470 - height 22 cm - National Museum of Archeology - La Paz - Bolivia - 1976

Character representing the Inca with offerings - Inca culture 1300-1400 - Height 21 cm - Museo Nacional de Arqueología del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología - Bolivia - 1976

Detail of a Tiahuanaco fabric, 160x62 cm, made of cotton and wool - Origin: Campanario, Huarmey - Amano Museum - Lima - 1976

Tiahuanaco warrior mummy from the coast - Nazca Valley - Regional Museum of Ica - 1976

Plate of the coastal Tiahuanaco culture - Nazca valley - 11th century - diameter 26 cm - Regional Museum of Ica - 1976

Coastal Tiahuanaco - Vessel with anthropomorphic representation of a warrior - Nazca valley - Height 32 cm - 10th century - Ica Regional Museum - 1976

Offering for the Pachamama - Father, mother and two children - Cult object made of stone - Bolivia - 1977

The Bolivian talisman, which embodies the power of Pachamama, symbolises the stages of life and fertility: on the left, a bearded old man; in the centre, a zampoña player; and on the right, a nursing woman (height 7 cm, Eva Bruggmann Collection, Yverdon). - Book: Picture 109 - Peru - 1977

On the shores of the deep-blue Lake Titicaca, small piles of straw or grain (quinoa or barley harvest) are stacked up. Beyond them, on the horizon, rise the mighty, ice-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real. – Peru – 1969

On the Bolivian plateau, the legendary creator god Kon Tiki Viracocha guards the secrets of a sunken world like a "sphinx". In the mask of a radiation-framed puma, he adorns the famous sun gate of Tiahuanaco, which consists of a single block of andesite, almost 3 m high and 4 m wide, weighing almost 10 tons. - 1976

The central figure of the Sun Gate at Tiahuanaco, Bolivia. As with the figure on the Raimondi Stele (Chavín culture), the head is almost as large as the body. In both hands, the Sun God holds sceptres that end in condor heads; his hair ends in snakes and jaguar heads. Tears, symbolising fertility and rain, stream down his face. He is surrounded by 148 winged figures facing him, which have been interpreted as symbols of movement and time. The Tiahuanaco culture had the most direct influence on the Inca civilisation. - Book: Picture 124 - Bolivia - 1976

View from the semi underground temple of Tiahuanaco to the monumental staircase with the six stone steps and the large restored entrance gate to the Kalasasaya. In the centre the "Ponce" stele of the Shrine of the Sun. - 1976

The Ponce Monolith is a well-preserved stele, carved from a single block of andesite, situated in the inner courtyard of the Kalasasaya Temple at the pre-Inca archaeological site of Tiwanaku (Tiahuanaco) in Bolivia. The statue features delicate, complex geometric and zoomorphic reliefs (such as sun, fish and condor motifs) as well as a mask-like facial form. The monolith is named after the Bolivian archaeologist Carlos Ponce Sanginés, who uncovered it in 1957. – Bolivia – 1976

The Patio Hundido ("sunken courtyard") of Tiahuanaco is an almost square complex with a side length of about 28 m and is surrounded by an enclosure wall about 2 m high and with stone heads. - 1976

This Cabeza clava is located in the Parque monolios in La Paz. - 1976

A ceramic incense burner in the shape of a big cat (20 cm high) from the Tiwanaku culture (4th period, 667 AD). The tail is shaped as a handle, and the smoke kindled in the back cavity escapes through the eyes. Instituto Nacional de Arqueología, La Paz, Bolivia. - Book: Picture 48 - Bolivia - 1976

Vessel for grave goods - Tiahuanaco culture - year 667 to 1000 - height 18 cm - Museo Nacional de Arqueología del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología - Bolivia - 1976

Ceramic vase with modelled head of a figure from the 4th period of the Tiahuanaco culture - on the cheek a bulge due to the use of coca - the arrows represent the main organs of the person: the visor and the ear - height 14 cm - Museo Nacional de Arqueología del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología - Bolivia - 1976

Vessel with a ceramic portrait of an anthropomorphic head of a figure from the 5th period of the Tiahuanaco culture - the arrows represent the main organs of the person: the sight and the ear - Height 11 cm - Museo Nacional de Arqueología del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología - Bolivia - 1976

Grave vessel of the Tiahuanaco culture 5th period - year 1000 to 1100 - height 12 cm - Museo Nacional de Arqueología del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología - Bolivia - 1976

Ceremonial vessel with a crowned snake - 4th period of the Tiahuanaco culture - years 667 to 1000 - height 8 cm - Museo Nacional de Arqueología del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología - Bolivia - 1976

Large ceremonial kero - height 47.5 cm - the head is related to the sun gate of Tiahuanaco - 4th epoch - Museo Nacional de Arqueología del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología - Bolivia - 1976

Wooden kero with anthropomorphic head - height 19 cm - Museo Nacional de Arqueología del Instituto Nacional de Arqueología - Bolivia - 1976

Vessel in Tiahuanaco style - Height 12 cm - Place of discovery: Pukará de Quitor (province Antofagasta) - Museum San Pedro de Atacama - Chile - 1976

Bolivian street scene: A boy in the small village of Tiahuanaco, not far from the massive pre-Inca ruin complex of the same name, does his homework on the stone steps in front of his house. - Book: Picture 148 - Bolivia - 1976

Isla del Sol (Sun Island) on Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, with the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real in the background. In Inca mythology, the island is regarded as the birthplace of the sun and is home to numerous archaeological sites. In the foreground, typical historic terraced fields and ruins can be seen. – Bolivia – 1976

The hilly, terraced landscape of Isla del Sol, which is the largest island in Lake Titicaca. Some of the stone terraces date back to Inca times and are still used for farming today. Lake Titicaca has deep blue water and is the highest commercially navigable lake on Earth, at an altitude of around 3,812 metres. In the background, you can see the snow-capped Cordillera Real mountain range in Bolivia. Among the most striking mountains in this region, visible from the island, is the Ancohuma (Cerro Jankhouma), which rises to over 6,400 metres. - In Inca mythology, the island is regarded as a sacred place and the origin of the sun, as well as the birthplace of the founders of the Inca Empire (Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo). Today, it is a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers, with no motorised vehicles permitted on the island. – Bolivia – 1976

The simple houses scattered across the picture, with their typical corrugated iron roofs, are characteristic of the rural communities in Bolivia’s Lake Titicaca region. The slopes reveal the millennia-old Inca and pre-Inca terraced structures for which the Incas’ sacred island is known throughout the world. – Presumably the area around Yumani on the ‘Island of the Sun’. – 1976

This is one of the unusual gateways featuring the stepped meanders of Iñakuyu, the palace and temple of the maidens on the Moon Island. 2,000 male and female servants of the moon goddess Quilla tended this silver-clad sanctuary and cultivated the terraced fields. The Inca vestal virgins spun their precious vicuña wool there and wove it together with hummingbird feathers and gold. – Bolivia – 1976

Relief depicting the four cardinal directions (40 x 60 cm) from the Chiripa culture of the Taraco Peninsula on Lake Titicaca, Bolivia (c. 300 to 1 CE). As the much later Incas called their empire Tahuantinsuyu, or ‘Empire of the Four Parts of the World’, it may be surmised that their world view already had parallels in this culture. Museo Nacional de Arqueología, La Paz, Bolivia. - Book: Picture 79 - Bolivia - 1976

On the boat trip from Moon Island back to the mainland. In the background, you can see the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real. In Inca religion, Moon Island is regarded as a sacred place where, according to legend, the creator god Viracocha commanded the moon to rise into the sky. The island is home to the ruins of the Inca temple of Iñakuyu (Palace of the Sun Maidens), where selected women performed ritual duties. Bolivia – 1976

The Altiplano between the ruins of Tiahuanaco and La Paz, with the Cordillera Real and the 6,500-metre-high Huayana Potosí in the background. The indigenous woman in the foreground is tending sheep and pigs. - Book: Picture 0 - Bolivia - 1976

Against the backdrop of the majestic Nevado Illimani (6,438 metres), a shepherdess walks past with her sheep. – 1976

From the La Paz basin, the road climbs over 1,000 metres to the La Cumbre pass (picture) at an altitude of 4,643 metres, before descending into the Yungas via countless hairpin bends through a deeply incised U-shaped valley, with the Cordillera Real towering in the background. The treeless scrub and grassy vegetation of the Puna still covers the saddle here, where indigenous people are resting with a herd of llamas. A little further down the valley, scrub begins to appear, until finally a dense forest takes over. - Book: Picture 2 - Bolivia - 1976

The famous La Cumbre Pass in Bolivia links the city of La Paz with the tropical Yungas lowlands. Travellers traditionally leave offerings at this strategic and windswept spot. These offerings – often bottles of alcohol and coca leaves – are frequently addressed to the Andean guardian goddess Pachamama and to Christian saints, in order to pray for a safe journey along the notorious mountain roads. – Bolivia – 1976

A panoramic view of La Paz, the seat of government in Bolivia. The photograph was taken from the surrounding mountains and captures the city’s unique topography, which stretches across a vast valley basin in the Andes at an altitude of over 3,600 metres. The dense urban development, which extends from the valley floor up the steep slopes, is clearly visible. In the background lies the snow-capped Cordillera Real. The striking, towering peak on the right is the majestic Illimani (6,438 m), the city’s local mountain and its landmark. In the foreground are steep, rugged rock formations typical of the geological features surrounding the La Paz basin. – 1976

With an elevation ranging from 3,630 to 3,770 meters, La Paz is the highest capital city in the world. It lies in a basin on the edge of the Altiplano, which shields the city from the high-altitude winds; the more affluent neighborhoods are therefore located as low as possible in the valley. Originally an Aymara settlement, the town was expanded by the Incas and conquered by the Spanish in 1535. With 800,000 residents, La Paz is home to about 14 percent of the country’s population, and 60 percent of Bolivia’s industrial production is concentrated in the greater La Paz area. - Book: Picture 149 - Bolivia - 1976

A panoramic view of La Paz, the seat of government in Bolivia, nestled in a deep canyon on the Altiplano. In the foreground, two local people sit in traditional Andean dress, looking out over the city. The dense urban landscape stretches across the steep slopes of the gorge. At the top left, the city merges seamlessly into the rapidly growing neighbouring city of El Alto, which lies on the flat plateau. In the background, the snow-capped Cordillera Real mountain range towers above. The most striking, gleaming white peak on the right is the majestic Illimani (6,439 metres), the unmistakable landmark and ‘guardian’ of La Paz. – 1976

The Cañón de Palca, about 25 kilometres south-east of La Paz. The photograph shows the striking view of the huge, eroded clay and sandstone walls that open up at the end of the gorge towards the small mountain village of Palca. They are made up of mud, clay and gravel left behind by prehistoric glaciers and shaped by the wind. – Bolivia – 1976

Surreal-looking, jagged rock formations and gorges, created by years of weathering of earth and clay. These striking clay towers and rock spires can be found in the Valle de las Ánimas (Valley of Souls) near La Paz. – Bolivia – 1976

The Basilica Menor de San Francisco in La Paz dates from 1743–1784. Its main façade, with its three portals, is regarded as an outstanding example of Mestizo art, a term coined to describe works that reflect both Iberian-European and Indigenous artistic sensibilities. However, the validity of this term is increasingly being called into question. - Book: Picture 131 - Bolivia - 1976

This photograph depicts an everyday scene of local women and men on the steps in front of the ornate wooden gate of the Basílica de San Francisco in La Paz, Bolivia. The backdrop is a prime example of what is known as Mestizo Baroque (also Barocco Mestizo). This architectural style blends European Catholic architectural traditions with indigenous motifs and symbols from the Andean region. The artistically carved stone columns on the left of the picture display these typical, intricately detailed reliefs from the colonial era. – Bolivia – 1976

EI Alto, the airport in La Paz on the Altiplano, is the highest jet airport in the world at 4,082 metres above sea level. Aircraft play a crucial role in opening up the Andes, as infrastructure remains one of the most pressing and unresolved problems. Not all roads on which buses operate are passable in all weather conditions - Book: Picture 180 - Bolivia - 1976

The Fiesta del Gran Poder, the Festival of Divine Power, in La Paz is arguably one of the largest and most colorful religious celebrations in Bolivia. The photo shows the characteristic Diablada dancer—the devil, who embodies evil and dances frenetically against the forces of good throughout the hours-long procession, only to be ultimately defeated by Divine Power. - Book: Picture 150 - Bolivia - 1976

The festival is officially known as the ‘Festividad del Señor Jesús del Gran Poder’. It is celebrated in honour of a representation of Jesus Christ and blends Andean beliefs closely with the Catholic faith. Although the Morenada is regarded as the dominant dance of this festival in La Paz, groups performing the Diablada (as pictured here) open and enrich the spectacle with great vigour and magnificent colours. The dancers belong to one of the traditional fraternities that parade through the streets of the capital every year in May or June. – This huge celebration has also been recognised by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. – Bolivia – 1976

The Fiesta del Gran Poder, the Festival of Divine Power, in La Paz is arguably one of Bolivia’s largest and most colorful religious celebrations. The photo shows the characteristic Diablada dancer—the devil, who embodies evil and dances frantically against the forces of good throughout the hours-long procession, only to be ultimately defeated by Divine Power. - Book: Picture 151 - Bolivia - 1976

The Fiesta del Gran Poder, the Festival of Divine Power, in La Paz is arguably one of Bolivia’s largest and most colorful religious celebrations. The female dancers may be inspired by the North American tradition of majorettes. - Book: Picture 152 - Bolivia - 1976

A traditional devil’s mask (Máscara de Diablada), typically worn at the Chilean festival ‘Fiesta de la Tirana’, at the ‘Festividad de la Virgen de la Candelaria’ in Puno, Peru, or at the Bolivian ‘Carnaval de Oruro’. – This dance symbolises the eternal struggle between good and evil. The dancers dress up as devils (Lucifer or demons), who are ultimately defeated by the Archangel Michael and submit to the Virgin Mary. A magnificent, colourful multi-headed dragon is mounted on the mask. In Andean iconography, European conceptions of the devil blend here with indigenous mythical creatures (such as the sacred snake Amaru) and Asian influences. The large, protruding eyes are intended to create a fixed, terrifying gaze. The mask features a wide-open mouth with pointed teeth and a protruding tongue, which emphasises the demon’s malice and ferocity. – La Paz – Bolivia – 1976

A dancer in a traditional, vibrantly coloured red devil’s costume from the Diablada dance troupe. The Diablada dance depicts the struggle between good and evil and forms the centrepiece of the various carnivals in the Andean region around Lake Titicaca. The ornate devil’s mask is adorned with horns, snakes and glittering embellishments. The dancer wears a red costume featuring embroidered aprons, metallic embellishments and distinctive boots. – La Paz – Bolivia – 1976

The Fiesta del Gran Poder, the Festival of Divine Power, in La Paz is arguably one of Bolivia’s largest and most colorful religious celebrations. - Book: Picture 153 - Bolivia - 1976

Wedding in the village of Toledo, Oruro Department, Bolivia. The entire village population takes part in the celebrations. The bride and groom lead the wedding guests in a dance around the village’s main square. Friends have hung banknotes around the groom’s neck as a morning gift. - Book: Picture 120 - Bolivia - 1976

All Saints’ Day at a cemetery near Oruro. Every year, the indigenous people visit their dead at the cemetery and pray for them, as well as for ancestors who died long ago. They then sit around the graves, eat the food they have brought with them and drink chicha. They also visit the graves of friends to emphasise the strong bonds that unite people even beyond death. - Book: Picture 122 - Bolivia - 1976

In the Bolivian Altiplano, between the towns of Toledo and Corque in the department of Oruro, there are numerous shallow, salt-rich waterholes scattered across this barren high-altitude desert landscape. They lie at an altitude of around 3,700 metres on the western side of the Lake Poopó basin, where shallow salt lakes and lagoons form periodically during the rainy season. This is an ideal habitat for the endangered Andean flamingos (Phoenicoparrus andinus) and James’s flamingos (Phoenicoparrus jamesi). – Bolivia – 1976

On the way from La Paz to the Takesi Inca Trail, you pass this historic cemetery chapel with its distinctive, slightly leaning adobe bell tower and the small, chapel-like burial structures in front of it. – Bolivia – 1976

The world-famous Takesi Trail (Camino Precolombino Takesi) in Bolivia, one of the best-preserved sections of the pre-Columbian Inca Trail within the historic road network. The perfectly laid, flat paving stones and drainage channels were originally constructed by the Tiwanaku and Inca cultures. They protect the steep mountainside from severe erosion caused by rainwater. The highest point of the Inca Trail is the windswept Apacheta Takesi Pass, which runs at a spectacular altitude of 4,640 metres right alongside the snow-capped flanks of Mount Mururata. The photograph shows the paved ascent to this mountain pass. – Bolivia – 1976

Three prospectors in the Bolivian Cordillera Real at an altitude of 4,640 metres. Together, these three treasure hunters mine easily accessible deposits of tungsten, tin and gold; they call their method ‘makipura’. - Book: Picture 175 - Bolivia - 1976

The ‘Cerro Rico’, the ‘rich mountain’ of Potosí in Bolivia. Potosí, with its silver mines, was the source of the wealth of the colonial Viceroyalty of Peru. The coat of arms of the city, whose economic importance came to an end in the late 18th century, bore the proud motto: ‘I am the rich Potosí, treasury of the world, king of the mountains; to kings I serve as pasture.’ - Book: Picture 170 - Bolivia - 1976

A mining town in the department of Potosí in Bolivia. In the foreground is a massive embankment that serves as a dam to contain fine-grained processing residues (known as tailings or slurry). These waste products are generated during the extraction of metals from ore. In the background lies the densely built-up mining town. The extreme proximity of industrial waste dumps to residential areas is typical of historic mining regions in the Bolivian Andes and poses significant environmental and safety risks to local residents. – Bolivia – 1976

Man carrying a coffin in Potosí, Bolivia. In funeral rites, ancient indigenous beliefs are intertwined with certain Catholic elements. For example, a wake (velorio) is held, during which provisions for the journey are placed around the body alongside candles. The soul of the deceased travels for eight days to all the places the deceased had visited during their lifetime. On the eighth day, it returns, whereupon the deceased’s clothes are burnt. - Book: Picture 121 - Bolivia - 1976

A scene from the streets of Bolivia: In Potosí, a street vendor waits for customers; she is wearing the hat characteristic of this region. - Book: Picture 147 - Bolivia - 1976

An indigenous man from Tarabuco in the Bolivian department of Chuquisaca. His cap is reminiscent of the shape of Spanish helmets from the time of the Conquista. - Book: Picture 144 - Bolivia - 1976

An indigenous man ploughing in Chuquisaca Department, Bolivia. Often, however, the soil is simply loosened using a narrow spade, the taclia (see Figure 90). - Book: Picture 118 - Bolivia - 1976

An indigenous woman pounding chuño. To make chuño, the potatoes are left for several days and nights, alternating between drying in the sun and freezing during night-time frosts. Pounding removes the skins. The dehydrated potatoes can be stored for considerably longer than raw tubers. Bolivia. La Paz Department. - Book: Picture 119 - Bolivia - 1976

A scene on the way to Oruro: an indigenous woman who has spread her freshly washed laundry out to dry on the stony ground and on small bushes. Laying the clothes out on the clean ground, warmed by the sun, or on bushes makes the most of the strong UV rays and heat of the high-altitude sun to dry the clothes quickly. – Bolivia – 1976

A scene from the streets of Bolivia: An indigenous woman with a child in Sucre, the nominal capital of Bolivia, named after the liberator General Antonio José de Sucre. - Book: Picture 146 - Bolivia - 1976

In southern Bolivia, in the transitional region between the barren foothills of the Andes and the wetter valleys of the Tariquía National Flora and Fauna Reserve. Smallholders on the slopes and in the valleys mainly grow maize, wheat and barley. The picture shows the traditional method of winnowing (separating the chaff from the wheat or grain) by hand. The farmers toss the threshed grain high into the air using pitchforks or shovels. The wind blows the light chaff (husk and straw remnants) to one side. The heavier grains fall straight down to the ground and are thus collected cleanly. This method has been used for thousands of years. It requires no machinery and relies solely on the power of the wind. – Bolivia – 1976

Near Huanuni in the department of Oruro. Having finished their day’s work, a farming couple are on their way home. Whilst the urban economy in Huanuni is dominated by Cerro Posokoni and the tin mine, small family farms in the surrounding countryside, at an altitude of just under 4,000 metres, ensure their basic subsistence by growing hardy, traditional crops such as potatoes, quinoa and cañahua. The region around Huanuni and the nearby Lake Poopó suffers greatly from the environmental consequences of centuries of mining, which is why traditional, nature-friendly farming methods without heavy machinery remain essential for the farmers. A team of two oxen (yunta) breaks up the dry, often stony soil. The donkey often carries the precious seeds for the upcoming sowing before the rainy season. – Bolivia – 1976

Arable farming in the high-altitude Andean region of the municipality of Yunchará in the department of Tarija, in southern Bolivia. In the higher elevations of the Altiplano, frost-resistant crops such as field beans (haba), barley and camomile are primarily grown. In this remote highland region of Bolivia, the use of draught animals to plough the small plots enclosed by dry stone walls remains the most important method of preparing the soil before sowing. – Bolivia – 1976

Winding its way along the slopes in long hairpin bends, mostly without any engineering structures, this Andean road runs through the department of Tarija in Bolivia. - Book: Picture 182 - Bolivia - 1976

The barren desert landscape with giant cacti of the species Echinopsis atacamensis (also known as Cardón) in the Department of Potosí in the southern Altiplano of Bolivia. The plateau is strongly characterised by the dry, cold Puna. Alongside the massive Cardón cacti, the area is home primarily to hardy Thola shrubs and the characteristic Ichu grass. – Near Tomola – Bolivia – 1976

The historic ‘Puente Antonio José de Sucre’ (also known as Puente Sucre or Puente Méndez). The suspension bridge spans the Río Pilcomayo and connects the two departments of Chuquisaca (Sucre) and Potosí. The structure was built at the end of the 19th century (between 1890 and 1910) and is characterised by its distinctive, almost medieval-looking brick towers. Today, the historic wooden structure serves exclusively as a footbridge. – Bolivia – 1976

A gravel track leads to the Salar de Empexa, a lesser-known yet fascinating salt lake (salar) in the South American Altiplano, situated in south-western Bolivia (Potosí Department) near the border with Chile. It lies to the west of the world-famous Salar de Uyuni and is a prime example of the unspoilt, rugged high-altitude desert landscape of the Andes. – Bolivia – 1976

The old Church of Santa Ana in Chipaya was built of adobe (air-dried mud bricks) and had a fragile thatched roof (paja). The photograph shows the roof being repaired (1976). Due to the extreme weather conditions in the highlands (strong winds, sandstorms and seasonal flooding from the River Lauca), the unprotected mud walls of the old structure crumbled over the decades after the roof was damaged. Rather than undertaking a costly restoration of the old, dilapidated adobe church, a new, modern church building was erected in the village centre. The historic, free-standing bell tower from the colonial era, which was deliberately built in isolation and completely separate from the main building, remained standing untouched as an important landmark and ritual focal point for the village community. – Chipaya (Oruro Department) – Bolivia – 1976

The Chipaya tribe in the Bolivian department of Oruro, which now numbers just under a thousand people, inhabits a particularly inhospitable region of the Andean high plateau on the Río Lauca, which flows into a salt lake. The Chipayas are the only highland indigenous people who obtain part of their food through hunting, as agriculture and livestock farming alone are unable to meet their needs due to the highly saline soil. At dawn, groups of hunters lie in wait on the lake shore for flamingos, ducks and Andean geese, which they catch using bolas – throwing balls attached to long straps. The word ‘Chipaya’ comes from the Aymara language and means ‘a mat of reed or straw woven with reed cords’. To protect themselves from the strong winds of the Altiplano, the Chipayas have, in fact, had to tie down the thatched layers of their roofs with cords since time immemorial. The belief that the Chipayas are the direct descendants of pre-Inca populations is supported by mummy finds in burial towers from that period, which, amongst other similarities, display the same hairstyles that the women spend hours and hours creating. - Book: Picture 155 - Bolivia - 1976

Children of the Chipaya culture in the barren Altiplano of Bolivia. The Chipaya are considered one of the oldest indigenous communities in the Andes. They live in a very salty and isolated region near the Lauca River and Lake Coipasa in the department of Oruro. The boys are wearing the typical, coarsely woven, sleeveless garment of the Chipaya people, known as an ‘ira’ or ‘tipoy’. The girls in the background usually wear the traditional, very fine braids (trenzados), which have a distinctly African appearance. The houses in the background are the famous round or rectangular huts (putucus), built from peat and grass sods (tepes) and thatched with straw. This construction method provides perfect protection against the region’s extremely icy winds. – Chipaya – Bolivia – 1976

The Chipaya tribe in the Bolivian department of Oruro, which now numbers just under a thousand people, inhabits a particularly inhospitable region of the Andean high plateau on the Río Lauca, which flows into a salt lake. The Chipayas are the only highland indigenous people who obtain part of their food through hunting, as agriculture and livestock farming alone are unable to meet their needs due to the highly saline soil. At dawn, groups of hunters lie in wait on the lake shore for flamingos, ducks and Andean geese, which they catch using bolas – throwing balls attached to long straps. The word ‘Chipaya’ comes from the Aymara language and means ‘a mat of reed or straw woven with reed cords’. To protect themselves from the strong winds of the Altiplano, the Chipayas have, in fact, had to tie down the thatched layers of their roofs with cords since time immemorial. The belief that the Chipayas are the direct descendants of pre-Inca populations is supported by mummy finds in burial towers from that period, which, amongst other similarities, display the same hairstyles that the women spend hours and hours creating. - Book: Picture 156 - Bolivia - 1976

The striking redness of this child’s cheeks is typical of the inhabitants of the Altiplano. It is caused by a combination of thin high-altitude air, intense UV radiation and an icy wind. The child is wearing a typical, thickly woven woollen tunic or poncho, which provides protection against the extreme temperatures and the cold at high altitudes. The dark felt hat (often known as a bombín or bowler hat) is a key cultural symbol of the indigenous people of the Bolivian Andes. – Escara in the Department of Oruro – Bolivia – 1976

The Chipaya tribe in the Bolivian department of Oruro, which now numbers just under a thousand people, inhabits a particularly inhospitable region of the Andean high plateau on the Río Lauca, which flows into a salt lake. The Chipayas are the only highland indigenous people who obtain part of their food through hunting, as agriculture and livestock farming alone are unable to meet their needs due to the highly saline soil. At dawn, groups of hunters lie in wait on the lake shore for flamingos, ducks and Andean geese, which they catch using bolas – throwing balls attached to long straps. The word ‘Chipaya’ comes from the Aymara language and means ‘a mat of reed or straw woven with reed cords’. To protect themselves from the strong winds of the Altiplano, the Chipaya people have, since time immemorial, had to tie down the straw thatch on their roofs with cords. The belief that the Chipaya are the direct descendants of pre-Inca populations is supported by mummy finds in burial towers from that period, which, amongst other similarities, display the same hairstyles that the women spend hours and hours creating. The picture shows a typical pre-colonial loom. - Book: Picture 154 - Bolivia - 1976

An indigenous woman from Chipaya in the Bolivian highlands. Typical of the traditional costume are multi-layered ponchos or capes made of heavy, warm fabric to protect against the harsh climate of the high mountains. The intricate braided hairstyle, featuring woven hair ornaments and pins, reflects the cultural identity and centuries-old traditions of the Andean people. – Chipaya – Bolivia – 1976

This man belongs to the Chipaya culture, which is one of the oldest surviving cultures on the American double continent. His traditional identity is clearly reflected in his clothing: the hat is an absolutely distinctive feature of the Chipaya people. It is traditionally handmade from pressed sheep’s or alpaca wool. It has a characteristic brim and often features a dark band. Underneath the hat, he wears the typical, colourfully patterned Andean cap with ear flaps, which protects against the extreme, icy winds of the Altiplano. – Chipaya – Bolivia – 1976

The picture shows people in the ‘Salar de Coipasa´ in Bolivia, which, at over 10,000 square kilometres, is the largest salt flat on Earth. In the foreground is a small makeshift hut – or rather an igloo – made of salt bricks, in front of which people are standing. In the background, the Andean volcanoes (such as the well-known Tunupa volcano) can be seen, surrounding the flat, white salt pan. – Bolivia – 1976

Workers engaged in traditional salt extraction on the bright salt crust of the Salar de Coipasa. They break off and stack blocks of salt from the crust using simple tools such as poles and shovels. Historically, these blocks were used as a durable building material for the famous salt hotels and other accommodation, as well as salt licks for livestock (llamas and alpacas). The people are wearing warm, protective clothing and hats, as the climate at these high altitudes is windy and cool. – Bolivia – 1976

The two large salt pans of the Bolivian Altiplano, the Salares of Coipasa (picture) and Uyuni, are the remnants of a vast Ice Age freshwater lake, Lago Minchin. Due to low rainfall, the absence of tributaries and the extreme dryness of the air, the former freshwater lakes have evaporated into shallow lagoons and salt pans, their shores lined with deposits of common salt. Cut into blocks, the snow-white salt – considered to be of exceptional purity – is transported by lorry to the areas where it is consumed. - Book: Picture 158 - Bolivia - 1976

Traditional salt mining in the Salar de Coipasa in the Bolivian Andean highlands. Workers use simple tools such as axes or poles to chisel solid blocks of salt from the crust. The scene is set against the glistening white salt crust, with a mountainous backdrop in the Altiplano at an altitude of around 3,600 to 3,800 metres. – Bolivia – 1976

The Río Lauca is an international river in the Andean highlands, some 225 kilometres long, which eventually flows into the Salar de Coipasa, Bolivia’s second-largest salt lake. The river is the lifeblood of the highlands’ extremely arid ecosystem. – Ice has formed on the river overnight, which melts again during the morning. – Near the Salar de Coipasa – Bolivia – 1976

A herd of llamas grazes by the shallow, mineral-rich waterholes on the edge of the Salar de Coipasa. During the rainy season, parts of this arid landscape are transformed into vast, mirror-like expanses of water. – Bolivia – 1976

A herd of llamas is moving near the little village of Villa Vitalina on the edge of the Salar de Coipasa. Houses can be seen in the background. – Bolivia – 1976

A small village, presumably on the edge of the Salar de Coipaso. – Bolivia – 1976

The small Chilean border town of Ollagüe lies at an altitude of around 3,700 metres in the Altiplano. It is best known for its location directly at the foot of the active Ollagüe volcano (5,868 m) and as an important hub for cross-border freight transport. The railway line shown in the photograph forms part of the historic FCAB (Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia) line. To this day, this line is mainly used to transport mining cargo (such as copper, lithium and sulphuric acid) from the Bolivian mines to Chilean Pacific ports such as Antofagasta. Trains from Bolivia arrive here at the Chilean border station. This is where the locomotives are swapped between the railway companies of the two countries. – Bolivia/Chile border – 1976

The two large salt flats of the Bolivian Altiplano, the Salares of Coipasa (pictured) and Uyuni, are the remnants of a vast Ice Age freshwater lake, Lago Minchin. Due to low rainfall, the absence of tributaries and the extreme dryness of the air, the former freshwater lakes have evaporated into shallow lagoons and salt flats, their shores lined with deposits of common salt. Cut into blocks, the snow-white salt – considered to be of exceptional purity – is transported by lorry to the areas where it is used. - Book: Picture 159 - Chile - 1976

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