Editing Muisca (section)

== Economy ==
[[File:Beryl-27323.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Emerald from [[Muzo]]]]
[[File:Museo del Oro pectoral, six birds with folded wings and crouching human figures on their heads.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Golden breastplate]]{{main|Muisca economy}}
{{see also|Muisca agriculture}}
The Muisca had an economy and society considered to have been one of the most powerful of the American [[Post-Classic stage]], mainly because of the precious resources of the area: gold and emeralds. When the Spaniards arrived in Muisca territory, they found a prosperous state, with the Muisca Confederation controlling the mining of the following products:
* [[emerald]]s: [[Colombia]] is the primary producer of emeralds in the world
* [[copper]]
* [[coal]]: the coal mines still operate today at [[Zipaquirá]] and other sites. Colombia has some of the world's most significant coal reserves.<ref>{{in lang|es}} [http://www.proexport.com.co/VBeContent/NewsDetail.asp?ID=5712&IDCompany=20 Ministerio de Minas y Energia] – Proexport Colombia</ref>
* [[salt]]: there were mines in production at [[Nemocón]], [[Zipaquirá]], and [[Tausa]]
* [[gold]]: gold was imported from other regions but was so abundant that it became a preferred material for Muisca handicrafts. The many handicraft works in gold and the ''zipa'' tradition of offering gold to the goddess [[Guatavita]] contributed to the legend of ''[[El Dorado]]''.

The Muisca traded their goods at local and regional markets with a system of [[barter]]. Items traded ranged from basic necessities to luxury goods. The abundance of salt, emeralds, and coal brought these commodities to ''[[de facto]]'' [[currency]] status.

Having developed an agrarian society, the people used terrace farming and irrigation in the highlands. Main products were [[fruits]], [[coca]], [[quinoa]], [[yuca]] and [[potato]]es.

Another major economic activity was weaving. The people made a wide variety of complex textiles. Scholar Paul Bahn said, "The Andean cultures mastered almost every method of textile weaving or decoration now known, and their products were often finer than those of today."<ref>P. Bahn, ''Archaeology,'' p. 317</ref>

[[File:Villa de Leyva el infiernito.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Ruins of the astronomical Muisca temple at ''[[El Infiernito]]'' ("the little hell") near [[Villa de Leyva]]]]
[[File:Al Dios Cuitiva.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Monument to [[Bochica]] in the town of [[Cuítiva, Boyacá|Cuítiva]], [[Boyacá Department|Boyacá]]]]
[[File:DiosaAguaBachue.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Statue of water Goddess ''Sie'' identified with [[Bachué]]<br /><small>Carved in stone by Bogotan sculptor María Teresa Zerda</small>]]
[[File:Templo del sol.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Reconstruction of the [[Sun Temple (Sogamoso)|Sun temple]]<br /><small>[[Archaeology Museum, Sogamoso]]</small>]]
[[File:Balsa Muisca BOG 03 2018 8506.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Famous '''Muisca raft''' of '''''El Dorado'''''<br /><small>[[Gold Museum, Bogotá]]</small>]]
[[File:ParqueArqueológicoSogamoso.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Model of Muisca houses<br /><small>Archaeology Museum of Sogamoso</small>]]