The Cueva de los Tayos is in Ecuador. Please explore the many links we are sharing in the text of this article.
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| The library made from precious metals |
It's a huge underground network full of legends about lost gold, giants who walked the earth, unusual sculptures and a library full of tablets made from precious metals.
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| Tunnel walls are lined with gold |
It's also been said to be the location of Salesian priest Father Crespi's collection of gold artifacts that were given to him by the local Shuar people.
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| Originally thought to be small tablets that you could hold in your hand |
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| Turned out to be huge sheets of precious metals that lined the walls of the tunnels |
Father Carlos Crespi Croci was a Salesian monk who was born in Italy in 1891. He studied anthropology at the University of Milan before becoming a priest.
In 1923, he was assigned to the small Andean city of Cuenca in Ecuador to work among the indigenous people. He devoted the next 59 years of his life to charitable work until his death in 1982.
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| Father Crespi (1891 -1982) |
Father Crespi is known for his multitude of talents – he was an educator, anthropologist, botanist, artist, explorer, cinematographer, and musician.
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| Father Crespi's collection |
Today he is much remembered for his humanitarian efforts in Ecuador, setting up an orphanage and educational facilities, assisted the impoverished, gave food and money handouts. He cared deeply for the people and won their hearts.
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| Exploring Tayos tunnels |
A statue of him stands in front of the Church of Maria Auxiliadora, and local people stillshare stories about him. The City of Cuenca has been working with the Vatican for years to have Father Crespi recognized as a Saint.
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| Artifacts from the tunnels |
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| Another gold artifact from the tunnels |
Father Crespi's collection was originally thought to be missing but was actually purchased by the Central Bank of Ecuador and is being kept in safekeeping.
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| Artifacts from the tunnels now in safekeeping |
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| Comparison |
The caves and gold treasures gained worldwide attention in 1973 when Erich von Däniken published his bestselling controversial book, The Gold of the Gods.
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| Explorers in the tunnels of Tayos |
An expedition in 2015 explored the Tayos caves and they found new entrances to the cave system and remnants of a lost jungle city.
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| Amazing picture of an explorer's perspective of the caves |
More expeditions followed with another planned in 2020. It has been said the only access in by diving underwater and swimming to the caves.
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| Showing the magnificent size! |
With more expeditions planned, we can expect to hear much more about this as new expeditions uncover more secrets of the tunnels under the Cueva de los Tayos.
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Showing the size comparison
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Gold inside one of Tayos' caves
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| Inside the caves of Tayos |
