A team of Belgian and Bolivian underwater archaeologists has discovered ancient gold and silver objects, gems and some unusual objects like carved bones and pottery in Lake Titicaca. The most impressive of the find are well preserved puma heads carved of stone and gold leaf hammered into various human and animal figures.
Lake Titicaca is a beautiful and much-venerated sacred lake on the border between Bolivia and Peru near Copacabana, which is the main Bolivian town. It is often wrongly called the highest navigable lake in the world; it nevertheless has an elevation of about 3,800m above sea level. At 3,200 square miles in size and up to 1,000 feet in depth, Titicaca is also one of the largest and deepest lakes in the world.
The expedition began nearly two months ago on the Bolivian side of the lake. The underwater exploration turned up objects from both pre-Inca and Inca eras. The ceramics and urns discovered are more than 500 to 800 years old.
In 2000, an international archaeological expedition discovered the ruins of a huge ancient temple submerged in this lake, adding to its mystery and fascination. The temple is believed to be between 1,000 to 1,500 years old. No doubt the lake is considered sacred by the locals and a marvel of mystery for archaeologists around the world.
