Museum of Aboriginal Cultures, Cuenca, Ecuador

The Museum of Aboriginal Cultures in Cuenca, Ecuador, is a captivating window into the ancient civilizations that once thrived across the region.

Housed in a beautifully restored 18th-century adobe building that once served as an inn for llama drovers, the museum offers visitors a chance to step back in time. Its location on Calle Larga, in the heart of Cuenca’s historic district, adds to its charm and authenticity, making it a cultural landmark in the city.

Inside, the museum showcases an extraordinary collection of over 8,000 archaeological artifacts—far more than the 5,000 originally noted—spanning from the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras to the height of the Incan empire. The exhibits are thoughtfully arranged to reflect both chronological and geographical themes, highlighting the diversity of Ecuador’s indigenous cultures from the Pacific Coast, Andes, and Amazon Basin. Visitors can marvel at tools, ceramics, textiles, and ornamental objects crafted from stone, bone, shell, and metal, each piece revealing the ingenuity and artistry of its creators.

Founded by historian Juan Cordero Íñiguez in 1992, the museum is part of the Cordero Cultural Center and plays a vital role in preserving and promoting Ecuador’s cultural heritage. Beyond its permanent exhibits, the museum hosts educational programs, cultural events, and even offers guidebooks in multiple languages to enrich the visitor experience. Whether you're a history enthusiast or a curious traveler, the Museum of Aboriginal Cultures offers a profound and immersive journey through Ecuador’s ancestral past.

Wall painting outside the museum

The Sunkeeper
The large mural on the staircase leading to the Museo de las Culturas Aborígenes in Cuenca is a striking visual introduction to the museum’s celebration of Ecuador’s ancestral heritage.

This artwork spans the wall beside the stairs and features vivid depictions of indigenous figures, symbols, and scenes that evoke the spiritual and cultural richness of pre-Columbian civilizations. It’s not just decorative—it sets the tone for the immersive experience awaiting inside, blending storytelling with artistic flair.
The mural’s style is bold and expressive, often incorporating elements like geometric patterns, native flora and fauna, and representations of ceremonial life. It reflects the museum’s mission to honor the diverse cultures that shaped Ecuador’s history, from the Valdivia and Chorrera peoples to the mighty Inca. Visitors ascending the stairs are quite literally walking into a narrative that begins with this powerful visual homage.
You’ll find that the mural also serves as a symbolic threshold—moving from the bustling street into a space of reflection and learning. It’s a favorite photo spot for many visitors, and its presence reinforces the museum’s role not just as a repository of artifacts, but as a living tribute to indigenous identity and resilience. The image card below shows you what it looks like.

01 Stone Room

01 Stone Room
Paleoindian and Neolitic Period, 13000 BCE - 1530 BCE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 1

We begin with a display of fossils. The majority of which were found in the south of Ecuador. They are here to demonstrate that plant and animal life go back millions of years. Continuing on we can see raw materials, for toolmaking and instruments carved from stone from the Paleolithic period, dating back more than 10,000 years. There are also some double faced, obsidian arrowheads found in the north of Ecuador. The arrowheads made of silex and flint were found in the south.
Also exhibited are objects of polished stone found all over Ecuador and made throughout the pre-Columbian period.
here are wall displays and display cases of hoes, drills, net weights, plumb weights, a large variety of axes, star shaped and circular weapons, throwing weapons, anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures, mirrors, necklaces, tools and household utensils.
An outstanding piece is the stone chime installation. There are also grinding stones, mortars and pestles. Pay special attention to the ergonomic design of one of the pestles, and on the bottom shelf, Canari games or “las taptanas”.
Also displayed are carbonized Ckello corn kernels and 3 corn sculptures.

Stone chair

Mortar and pestle

Stone sculptures (left) and Animal carvings (right)

Animal carvings (left) and Anthropomorphic sculpture (right)

Small lithophones

Corn on the cob (top left) and Anthropomorphic sculpture (center)

Zoomorphic sculptures

Anthropomorphous sculptures

Zoomorphic nails

02 Formative period

02 Formative period
Protoagricultural Period Formative Pottery, Valdivia - Machalilla - Chorrera - Narrio, 4000 BCE - 500 BCE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 2

This room contains object from the formative cultures (3500 BCE - 500 BCE)
The most famous is the Valdivia Culture, with some of America's oldest pottery of various designs. This culture created the famous Venus figures, which were originally less detailed and made of stone.
Next is the Machalilla Culture, experts in objects made of shells.
We continue with the Chorrera Culture, famous for its fine polished and painted pottery in the shapes of fruit, animals and people.
Then we arrive at the Narrio Culture, appearing in the southern, interandean region about 1500 BCE. Two displays show us the famous “Rucuyayas” images of their ancestors made of shells. The glass case contains fine pieces of their pottery.

Venuses with their hand on their mouths

Miniature Venuses

Hieratic Venuses

Anthropomorphic sculptures

Venuses with two heads

Venuses of Valdivia

Heads with different shapes and hairstyles

Anthropomorphic sculptures

Sculptures from the formative period

Machalillan statuettes

Plate with stylization of a bat

Bottle with pregnant woman

Bottle with monkey

Phytomorphic containers

Anthropomorphic figure

Zoomorphic figure similar to a pig

Bottle with pregnant woman

Zoomorphic side ornaments

Bottle with pregnant woman

Zoomorphic containers (top) and Phytomorphic containers (bottom)

Pots with owl representations

Phytozoomorphic container

Shells

Pots with ornithomorphic sculptures

Early Narrio containers

Rucuyayas or ucuyayas made in shell

03 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures

03 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures
"Tolita" culture, 500 BCE - 500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 3

TOLITA CULTURE (500 BCE - 500 CE)

Even using monochromatic (light gray to bone white) pottery, its creators were able to amply represent human life, animal life and their magical beliefs.
In the display cases and on the shelves, you can appreciate the anthropomorphic representations of various stages of life, their activities and erotic positions.
We recommend looking at the series of wall cases of carvings that show the courting process, erotic love, pregnancy, birth, breast feeding and caring for the children.
Observe the head shaped trophies, the molds and the models of temples and houses. “See the variety of shapes of the receptacles. Pay special attention to the spouts and the feet.
Felines were the principal deity. There are 3 beautiful examples, but also note the great variety of animals and birds.
The graters, in the shape of animals, were very useful in the kitchen.
A display case contains small pots, some of which may have been used as toys by children.
Another display case shows us subjects linked to illnesses and deformities.

Human heads

Molds

Anthropomorphic representations

Graters

Feline deity

Phallus

People with tied arms

Love tablets

Masks

Anthropomorphic figure

Masks

Pregnant woman (center) and Breastfeeding women (right).

Breastfeeding women

Sculptures with different illnesses

Hunchbacked man

Feline sculpture

Ceramic models

Dancers

Head trophies

A shrunken head

Models of houses and temples

Feline sculpture

Pot with zoomorphic side sculpture

Selected sculptures

Anthropomorphic sculptures

Pedestrian sculptures

Ashen colored sculptures

Musician

Barrel-shaped container

04 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures

04 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures
Jama Coaque culture, 500 BCE - 500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 4

JAMA COAQUE CULTURE (500 BCE - 500 CE)

Here you find the famous cylindrical stamps with a huge variety of designs. They were used for face and body painting or possibly for “magical hunting”. (A design was made with the stamps in soil which attracted birds, which in turn, attracted rain).
The people enjoyed adorning themselves with necklaces, bracelets and other adornments as you can see in the cases and on the walls. ‘Their pottery was decorated with extra clay to add vivid details. The base was overlaid with thin strips of clay in the shape of leaves and flowers, typical decorations of this culture.
There are many representations of dancers whose enormous costumes, in some cases, resembled astronauts’ suits
The animals, even worms and insects, were also embellished with extra clay to add more dramatic details.
Larger sculptures are found on the shelves. Pay special attention to the thinker, the figure in motion (perhaps hunting) and the figure covering the shoe shaped pot.

Hieratic sculpture

Bird men

Sculpture of a diver?

Porters or merchants

Thinker

Figure in motion

Hieratic figure

Hieratic sculpture

Characters with religious offerings

Water porters

Shamans with religious offerings

Shaman with religious offerings

Farmer

Shamans with religious offerings

Pastel shaded animal statuettes

Pot in the shape of a highly decorated shoe

Spider

Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic statuettes

Cylindrical seals

Cylindrical seal with impressions in the sand

Big polypody plate with bird

Rest

05 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures

05 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures
Bahia culture, 500 BCE - 500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 5

BAHIA CULTURE (500 BCE - 500 CE)

As you can tell from first glance, the human figure was dealt with abundantly.
The first case shows bathers and musicians with their drums and pan flutes.
A selection of neck rests lends evidence to a link of our people to the Asians.
Continuing, we see shamans (spiritual healers), craftsmen and anthropomorphic sculptures in various positions and with a great variety of headdresses.
There are stereotypical human figures such as the doll whistles. They have holes in their heads or bodies to convert them into musical instruments.
There are flattened figures with enormous noses. Others have bowed legs and stunted heads. Others have deformities of their heads in the shape of high miters.
The receptacles vary a lot in their upper openings, in the design of their feet and in their sculpted decorations of various animals.
Some objects have strange shapes and their use is unknown.
We conclude this room with a collection of earrings and with a display case of sculpted fish of various materials.

Animal figurines

Sorcerer's kitchen

Birds

Sorcerer's kitchen

Sculptures in the form of fish

"Big nose" figurines

Human statuettes

Character sculptures

Zoomorphic character

Anthropomorphic character

Siamese woman

Pot of two bodies

Shaman with religious offerings

Big shaman with religious offerings

Anthropomorphic character

Beach man

Musicians

Human carvings

Old man

Anthropomorphic character

Shamans (top) and Sculptures in lotus position (bottom)

Mitered heads (center) and Funeral urn with miniature replica

Musicians with birds

Anthropomorphic character

06 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures

06 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures
Guangala culture, 500 BCE - 500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 6

Guangala Culture
Sothern coast. Period of Regional Development. (500 BCE - 500 CE)

A series of displays show the creativity and interests of these people: human figures, both miniatures and large sculptures, a large variety of ceramic and bone musical instruments, catapult hooks showing that they were ardent hunters, mother of pearl ornaments and the hanging snail shells, associated with the chewing of coca leaves.
You can appreciate the finesse and delicacy in both the everyday and ceremonial pottery, especially in the shapes and in the various shades and designs of the decorative painting.
Observe the receptacles with bowed legs and the large circular grater. There is an enormous variety of sizes and designs of the flat stamps.
They have predominantly geometrical themes.

Carvings of the Sosal ash phase

Anthropomorphic miniatures

Anthropomorphic character

Whistle sculpture

Kneeling sculptures (top) and Rounded musical instruments (bottom)

Anthropomorphic character

Coca chewer (no cooking)

07 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures

07 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures
Culture Tuncahuán, Negativo del Carchi and Cuasmal, 500 BCE - 500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 7

ANDEAN (MOUNTAIN) CULTURES OF THE NORTH CENTRAL

We start with the pieces found in Quito. They are large receptacles with 3 handles and with painted or engraved decorations.
Of interest are the receptacles that represent women and animals, using negative painting, as well as the diverse “compoteras’.
The musical instruments called guayllacos or ocarinas are in the shape of snails. Some Carry painted or sculpted monkeys on their backs.

Turtle woman container (left), Pot with frog representation (center) and Pot with sculpture of a monkey (right)

Coca chewers or "coqueros"

08 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures

08 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures
Panzaleo culture, 500 BCE - 500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 8

The Panzaleo culture used lightweight material and glazes allowing them to make large globular pots. Some had little sculptures of people or animals on the upper part.
An outstanding piece is the pot with the head of a “painted” Indian, whose few descendants are still dedicated to the practice of “Shamanism” or spiritual healing.
The “compoteras” are characterized by their form and their fine negative painting.

Anthropomorphic head

Pot with "colorado" Indian head

09 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures

09 Agroartisan or regionally developed cultures
Tacalshaoa culture, 500 BCE - 500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 9

The culture Tacalshapa is located in Santa Ana in the province of Azuay.
This culture evolved from the culture Narrio. Observe the lenticular pots with negative painting.
Note: The majority of the pieces in these rooms are ritualistic and were used in religious ceremonies or in funerals.

Lenticular pots with negative painting

Lenticular pot with negative painting

Lenticular pots with negative painting

Lenticular pot with negative painting

Necklace

Royal crystal necklaces

Jade and alabaster necklace

10 Integration period cultures

10 Integration period cultures
Puruhá culture, 500 CE - 1500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 10

We conclude this room with objects from the Puruhá Culture. These artifacts are characterized by their thick walls and their shape of stylized heads, adorned with earrings and facial piercings.
Decorations in dark red paint or using the technique of negative painting is frequently seen. Take note of the compoteras and jugs.
Striking are the head shaped drinking cups, the cups with incorporated straws and the cooking vessels with side handles of diverse designs.

Anthropomorphic containers

Zoomorphic containers

Container with anthropomorphic head

Anthropomorphic container with earrings

Anthropomorphic containers

Character with earrings

Anthropomorphic container

The people drank through the ceramic tube (incorporated into the cup)

11 Integrated cultures

11 Integrated cultures
Manteña cultures, 500 CE - 1530 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 11

Mantena Culture.
Central and southern coast.
Period of Integration. (500 CE - 1530 CE)

The Manteña culture preferred a polished black decoration in all of their work.
Look at the jugs with anthropomorphic or zoomorphic sculptures in the top portion.
The vessel used for burning ceremonial offerings is very characteristic of the manteños. In these, they burned aromatic wood called palo santo (Bursera graveolens).
The human and animal sculptures as well as the small receptacles are shiny or dull black. The stone seat is another artifact characteristic of the manteños.

Decorated pots

Anthropomorphic sculptures

Incense burner from Manta

Anthropomorphic sculptures

Incense burner

Pot with neck

Cephalomorphic jug

Sgraffito cephalomorphic pot

12 Integrated cultures

12 Integrated cultures
Cashaloma cultures, 500 CE - 1500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 12

This culture is Cashaloma or Cañari Culture.

The display of shells, the precursors of money, gives us further evidence of bartering between the coastal and the mountain communities.
There are large pitchers, 3 legged pots, needles and awls of bone and pottery in a variety of shapes, sizes and decorations. There are an excellent collection of drinking glasses, the “compoteras”, the bell shaped cups, the miniatures.

Bell-shaped cup with a convex or annular base

Flower container

Three-legged pot

Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic cups

Anthropomorphic container

Anthropomorphic containers

13 Integrated cultures

13 Integrated cultures
Milagro Quevedo, Napo, Loja and its border zone with Peru, 500 CE - 1500 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 13

Giant pots end the exhibit.

Two are from the Milagro Quevedo culture and were used in burials, four are of traditional craftsmanship from the Republican period (after 1822) and served to store food or fermented beverages.

Anthropomorphic character

Plate with anthropomorphic painting

14 Inca culture

14 Inca culture
1450 CE - 1530 CE

Museum Guide: Room Nº 14

INCA CULTURE

Here we have a large variety of carrying jugs which are very representative of this culture. They range from very small to large with classic Inca or mixed decorations.
You can also see other typical Inca receptacles: plates, bowls, pots, jugs and pitchers with high handles.
There are two wooden ceremonial drinking cups, used for drinking chicha (In Room 9). This is evidence that the Inca tradition continued into the Colonial period. Notice the fine decorations using polychromatic resins.
Certain other Inca decorations were carried over to the Colonial period an example being the zoomorphic “pegotes”, appendages on the carrying jugs to help anchor the rope.
A stone skull corresponds to the beginning of the Colonial period.
There are a few receptacles that illustrate the pottery of the Colonial period.
There are a few receptacles that illustrate the pottery of the Colonial period.

Carrying jug

Zoomorphic container

Carrying jug

15 Metals room

Museum Guide: Room Nº 15

Metal

In this section, there are many objects made of soft metals mainly copper, silver and “Tumbaga", copper covered by gold.
There are fine examples of pins used to close and fasten shawls.
A good variety of personal adornments can be found in the cases and on the walls.
The other displays contain tools and weapons.
Objects that deserve special attention include the gold covered copper feathers used on crowns and headdresses, the fishhooks, the copper beans, the silver bowls and the gold covered copper nose rings.
You can “play” the metal chimes so that you can hear the sound which is similar to a bell. These were mainly used during dances.
There is also the tincullpas, musical instruments worn hanging from the neck, and the jingle bells.
Chisels, axes and star-shaped weapons are also displayed.
Around the corner you can also see needles, tweezers, coca leave stirrers and various knives, many of Incan origin.

Hooks (left), Nose rings (center left), Chest plates (center right), Remains of a staff of authority (top right) and Trinkets and tools (bottom right)