Nemocón

{{Infobox settlement

|official_name = Nemocón

|nickname =

|image_flag = Flag of Nemocón (Cundinamarca).svg

|image_skyline = Nemocon, Colombia (5838003181).jpg

|image_caption = Street in Nemocón

|image_seal =

|image_map = Colombia - Cundinamarca - Nemocón.svg

|mapsize = 250px

|map_caption = Location of the town and municipality of Nemocón in the Cundinamarca Department

|pushpin_map = Colombia

|pushpin_mapsize = 300

|pushpin_map_caption = Location in Colombia

|subdivision_type = Country

|subdivision_name = {{flag|Colombia}}

|subdivision_type1 = Departamento

|subdivision_name1 = Cundinamarca

|subdivision_type2 = Province

|subdivision_name2 = Central Savanna Province

|leader_title = Mayor

|leader_name = Julián Alfredo Rodríguez Montaño
(2020-2023)

|established_title = Founded

|established_date = 26 July 1600

|founder = Luis Henríquez

|area_magnitude =

|area_total_km2 = 98.1

|area_total_sq_mi =

|area_land_km2 =

|area_land_sq_mi =

|area_water_km2 =

|area_water_sq_mi =

|area_water_percent =

|area_urban_km2 = 0.61

|area_urban_sq_mi =

|area_metro_km2 =

|area_metro_sq_mi =

|population_as_of = 2015

|population_note =

|population_total = 13488

|population_density_km2 = auto

|population_density_sq_mi =

|population_metro =

|population_density_metro_km2 =

|population_density_metro_sq_mi =

|population_urban = 5684

|population_demonym = Nemoconense

|timezone = Colombia Standard Time

|utc_offset = -5

|timezone_DST =

|utc_offset_DST =

|coordinates = {{coord|5|3|19|N|74|1|17|W|region:CO|display=inline}}

|elevation_m = 2585

|elevation_ft =

|area_code = +1

|website = [http://www.nemocon-cundinamarca.gov.co/ Official website]

}}

Nemocón is a municipality and town of Colombia in the Central Savanna Province, part of the department of Cundinamarca. Nemocón, famous for its salt mine, was an important village in the Muisca Confederation, the country in the central Colombian Andes before the arrival of the Spanish. The municipality is situated in the northern part of the Bogotá savanna, part of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense with its urban centre at an altitude of {{convert|2585|m|ft}} and {{convert|65|km|mi}} from the capital Bogotá. Nemocón is the northeasternmost municipality of the Metropolitan Area of Bogotá and the Bogotá River originates close to Nemocón. The median temperature of Nemocón is 12.8 °C. The municipality borders Tausa in the north, Zipaquirá and Gachancipá in the south, Suesca in the east, and Cogua in the west.{{in lang|es}} [http://www.nemocon-cundinamarca.gov.co/informacion_general.shtml Official website Nemocón] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20150520070845/http://www.nemocon-cundinamarca.gov.co/informacion_general.shtml |date=2015-05-20 }}

Etymology

Nemocón is derived from Enemocón and means "The cry or sadness of the warrior" in the Chibcha language. Another etymology is that the town is named after zipa Nemequene.Espejo Olaya, 1999, p. 1121

History

= Prehistory =

Archaeological evidence surfaced by Gonzalo Correal Urrego in 1979 and Ana María Groot in 1992 has shown that Nemocón was inhabited early in the history of inhabitation of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense. One of the oldest evidence of human settlement; lithic scraper tools,Schrimpff, 1985, p. 103 bone tools and the remains of food of the hunter-gatherers (deer, foxes, jaguars and rodents) has been dated at 7640 BP.{{in lang|es}} [http://www.banrepcultural.org/blaavirtual/arqueologia/prehisp/cp08.htm Colombia prehispánica - V. La Altiplanicie Cundiboyacense] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924114153/http://www.banrepcultural.org/blaavirtual/arqueologia/prehisp/cp08.htm |date=2016-09-24 }} The inhabitants of the area lived under rock shelters, similar to Tequendama.Correal Urrego, 1990b, p. 71

= Herrera Period =

== Checua ==

The archaeological site Checua, at {{convert|7|km|mi}} north from the urban centre of Nemocón, provided evidence carbon dated at around 6500 BCE. First researcher of Checua was Colombian anthropologist and archaeologist Ana María Groot.Groot, 1992, p. 8 In later years other archaeological sites have been found.{{in lang|es}} [http://www.icanh.gov.co/?idcategoria=5149 Periodos de los Sitios Arqueológicos] Rock art has been discovered at various sites in Nemocón, among others at the border with Suesca.{{in lang|es}} [http://www.icanh.gov.co/?idcategoria=5157 Caracterización de los sitios arqueológicos]{{in lang|es}} [http://rupestreweb.info/policromias.html Murales rupestres policromos en la Sabana de Bogotá]

This lithic period, part of the Andean preceramic, predates the Herrera Period of which archaeological evidence has been found by Marianne Cardale de Schrimpff in 1975, 1976 and the 1980s.Correal Urrego, 1990a, p. 12 Remains of deer, guinea pigs, rabbits, pecaris, howler monkeys and armadillos have been discovered in Nemocón and formed an important part of the diet of the people.Schrimpff, 1985, p. 116Rivera Pérez, 2013, p. 74Cooke, 1998, p. 187 Ceramics of Nemocón date to the 4th century BC and showed that Nemocón in those ages was already important in the extraction of salt.{{in lang|es}} [http://www.banrepcultural.org/node/25842 Ocupaciones humanas en el Altiplano Cundiboyacense - la Etapa Cerámica vista desde Zipaquirá] Excavations in Nemocón also have revealed the use of needles.

= Muisca =

The Herrera Period was followed by the culturally advanced civilisation of the Muisca, organised in their loose Muisca Confederation. The Muisca Period typically commenced in 800 AD and the people were named Pueblo de la Sal; "Salt People" because of their trading in the product.Daza, 2013, p. 21"Daza 2013 p22" /> Ceramics of this period found in Nemocón originated from farther away on the Altiplano and ceramics of Nemocón and Zipaquirá found elsewhere on the Bogotá savanna are related to the salt trade.De Paepe & Schrimpff, 1990, p. 102Argüello García, 2015, p. 43 Of the central Colombian indigenous peoples, only the Lache and U'wa were the other miners of salt. The Muisca exploited halite in various locations in their territories, among others in Nemocón, Zipaquirá, Sesquilé, Tausa, Gámeza, and Guachetá. Nemocón was a market town where the salt was traded.Restrepo Manrique, 2012, p. 35 A smaller salt mine was located in Sopó.Schrimpff, 1985, p. 114 Early evidence of salt extraction dates back to the end of the first millennium BC.Schrimpff, 1985, p. 117

The Muisca women extracted the salt from a brine in large pots.Zerda, 1882, p. 131Zerda, 1882, p. 133Zerda, 1882, p. 140 According to chronicler Juan de Santa Gertrudis, used the mineral to dry and preserve their fish and meat.Daza, 2013, p. 22

= Colonial period =

During the Spanish colonial period, the salt was exploited by hand labour of the surviving Muisca.Restrepo Manrique, 2012, p. 36

Modern Nemocón was founded on July 26, 1600 by Luis Henríquez. As of 1614, wheat was successfully cultivated in Nemocón.Restrepo Manrique, 2012, p. 62

= Nemocón today =

In modern times the extraction of salt continued and the economical activity of the town has expanded to the cultivation of flowers and the extraction of kaolin.

Tourism

Famous for its salt mine and museum, Nemocón is a touristic village and linked by train from Bogotá. The salt mine is the second-largest of Colombia, after the Salt Cathedral in neighbouring Zipaquirá. Sunday is market day in Nemocón.

Ferias

Festival del floricultor
September: Festival de Danzas
December: Festival del macramé and Christmas lighting

Born in Nemocón

Ricardo Moros Urbina, Painter s.XIX. Founder Colombian History Academy.
Miguel Gutiérrez Nieto, Bogotá´s National Prefect and Major under Mosquera's presidency, S. XIX
Eustacio Sanz de Santamaría, Foreign Affairs Secretary under Holguín's presidency. Diplomatic and writer
Felipa Molina Morales and Antonio de Luna, Commoners revolution indigenous leaders.
Luis Antonio Orjuela Quintero, Historian,. academic, educator.
Manuel Medardo Espinosa, romantic poet.
Julio Rubiano, former professional cyclist

Trivia

Remains of a mastodont have been found in Nemocón.
Scenes of the movie The 33 were filmed in the salt mine of Nemocón.{{in lang|es}} [http://lapaleontologiaencolombia.blogspot.com.co/2014/05/el-mastodonte-de-nemocon-cundinamarca.html El mastodonte de Nemocón]
The second leg of The Amazing Race 32 featured the salt mine of Nemocón and the Templo Parroquial San Francisco de Asís.{{cite web|url=https://tvgrapevine.com/2020/10/the-amazing-race-recap-for-10-21-2020-the-top-ten/|title=The Amazing Race Recap for 10/21/2020: The Top Ten|work=TV Grapevine|first=Sammi|last=Turano|date=21 October 2020|access-date=22 October 2020}}

Climate

{{Weather box|width=auto

|metric first=y

|single line=y

|collapsed = Y

|location = Nemocón (Checua-Nemocon), elevation {{convert|2580|m|ft|abbr=on}}, (1981–2010)

|Jan high C = 20.6

|Feb high C = 20.2

|Mar high C = 20.8

|Apr high C = 19.7

|May high C = 18.9

|Jun high C = 17.9

|Jul high C = 17.9

|Aug high C = 18.5

|Sep high C = 19.2

|Oct high C = 19.9

|Nov high C = 20.4

|Dec high C = 20.5

| year high C = 19.5

|Jan mean C = 13.8

|Feb mean C = 14.0

|Mar mean C = 14.4

|Apr mean C = 14.4

|May mean C = 14.2

|Jun mean C = 13.6

|Jul mean C = 13.6

|Aug mean C = 13.6

|Sep mean C = 13.9

|Oct mean C = 14.1

|Nov mean C = 14.6

|Dec mean C = 14.1

| year mean C = 14.0

|Jan low C = 7.1

|Feb low C = 8.1

|Mar low C = 8.7

|Apr low C = 10.1

|May low C = 10.5

|Jun low C = 9.8

|Jul low C = 10.0

|Aug low C = 9.5

|Sep low C = 9.1

|Oct low C = 9.5

|Nov low C = 9.8

|Dec low C = 8.0

| year low C = 9.1

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 23.7

|Feb precipitation mm = 53.0

|Mar precipitation mm = 69.8

|Apr precipitation mm = 78.9

|May precipitation mm = 67.3

|Jun precipitation mm = 34.6

|Jul precipitation mm = 37.0

|Aug precipitation mm = 37.5

|Sep precipitation mm = 59.1

|Oct precipitation mm = 74.8

|Nov precipitation mm = 61.0

|Dec precipitation mm = 31.5

|year precipitation mm = 628.1

| Jan precipitation days = 4

| Feb precipitation days = 7

| Mar precipitation days = 9

| Apr precipitation days = 12

| May precipitation days = 14

| Jun precipitation days = 12

| Jul precipitation days = 15

| Aug precipitation days = 15

| Sep precipitation days = 11

| Oct precipitation days = 12

| Nov precipitation days = 11

| Dec precipitation days = 7

| year precipitation days = 125

| Jan humidity = 73

| Feb humidity = 73

| Mar humidity = 74

| Apr humidity = 79

| May humidity = 80

| Jun humidity = 81

| Jul humidity = 80

| Aug humidity = 79

| Sep humidity = 77

| Oct humidity = 79

| Nov humidity = 79

| Dec humidity = 76

| year humidity = 78

|Jan sun = 195.3

|Feb sun = 144.0

|Mar sun = 158.1

|Apr sun = 123.0

|May sun = 127.1

|Jun sun = 99.0

|Jul sun = 139.5

|Aug sun = 124.0

|Sep sun = 141.0

|Oct sun = 136.4

|Nov sun = 135.0

|Dec sun = 167.4

|year sun =

|Jand sun = 6.3

|Febd sun = 5.1

|Mard sun = 5.1

|Aprd sun = 4.1

|Mayd sun = 4.1

|Jund sun = 3.3

|Juld sun = 4.5

|Augd sun = 4.0

|Sepd sun = 4.7

|Octd sun = 4.4

|Novd sun = 4.5

|Decd sun = 5.4

|yeard sun =

|source 1 = Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales{{cite web

|url=http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios+Climatol%C3%B3gicos++1981+-+2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815025712/http://www.ideam.gov.co/documents/21021/553571/Promedios%2BClimatol%C3%B3gicos%2B%2B1981%2B-%2B2010.xlsx/f28d0b07-1208-4a46-8ccf-bddd70fb4128

|archive-date=15 August 2016

|title=Promedios Climatológicos 1981–2010

|publisher=Instituto de Hidrologia Meteorologia y Estudios Ambientales

|language=es

|access-date= 17 June 2024

|url-status=dead}}

}}

Gallery

{{wide image|Panoramica Paque Nemocón Cundinamarca.JPG|1200px|align-cap=center|Panorama of the central square of Nemocón}}

{{center|

File:Paque Nemocón Cundinamarca.JPG|Central square of Nemocón

File:Mi llanura tienda.jpeg|House in Nemocón

File:Paraje Nemocon Cundinamarca.JPG|Rural Nemocón

File:Invernaderos Nemocón.JPG|Greenhouses in rural Nemocón

File:Cacique nemequene - Nemocón.JPG|Statue of Nemequene in Nemocón

File:Mina de sal de Nemocón (1).JPG|Entrance of the salt mine of Nemocón

File:Salt Mine, Nemocon, Colombia (5743986824).jpg|Salt mine

File:COMO ES ARRIBA ES ABAJO TODO ES UN REFLEJO en la Mina de Sal de Nemocón.JPG|Salt mine

File:Mina de sal de Nemocón (11).JPG|Salt mine

File:Mina de sal de Nemocón (13).JPG|Salt mine

}}

References

= Bibliography =

{{cite thesis |last=Argüello García |first=Pedro María |year=2015 |degree=PhD |title=Subsistence economy and chiefdom emergence in the Muisca area. A study of the Valle de Tena |url=http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/24491/1/Arguello_P._Subsistence_economy.pdf |publisher=University of Pittsburgh |pages=1–193 |access-date=2016-07-08}}
{{cite book |last=Caballero Herrera|first=Germán|year=2011|title=Lamento de guerrero-Monografía de Nemocón Alcaldía Municipal |isbn=978-958-99927-0-8}}
{{cite web|last=Cardale de Schrimpff |author-link=Marianne Cardale de Schrimpff |first=Marianne |year=1985 |title=En busca de los primeros agricultores del Altiplano Cundiboyacense |language=es |trans-title=Searching for the first farmers of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense |location=Bogotá, Colombia |url=https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/4862354.pdf | publisher=Banco de la República |pages=99–125 |access-date=2016-07-08}}
{{cite journal |last=Cooke |first=Richard |year=1998 |title=Human settlement of Central America and northernmost South America (14,000-8000 BP) |journal=Quaternary International |volume=49/50 |publisher=Pergamon |pages=177-190 |issn=1040-6182}}
{{cite web |last=Correal Urrego |author-link=Gonzalo Correal Urrego |first=Gonzalo |year=1990 |title=Aguazuque: Evidence of hunter-gatherers and growers on the high plains of the Eastern Ranges |location=Bogotá, Colombia |publisher=Banco de la República: Fundación de Investigaciones Arqueológicas Nacionales |url=http://admin.banrepcultural.org/sites/default/files/aguazuque_completo_terminado_baja.pdf |pages=1-316 |language=es |access-date=2016-07-08}}
{{cite journal |last=Correal Urrego |author-link=Gonzalo Correal Urrego |first=Gonzalo | year=1990 |title=Evidencias culturales durante el Pleistocene y Holoceno de Colombia |language=es |trans-title=Cultural evidences during the Pleistocene and Holocene of Colombia |journal=Revista de Arqueología Americana |volume=1 |pages=69–89 |url=http://peru.inka.free.fr/Runapacha/pleiscol.pdf |access-date=2016-07-08}}
{{cite thesis |last=Daza |first=Blanca Ysabel |degree=PhD |year=2013 |title=Historia del proceso de mestizaje alimentario entre Colombia y España |language=es |trans-title=History of the integration process of foods between Colombia and Spain |location=Barcelona, Spain | publisher=Universitat de Barcelona |pages=1-494}}
{{cite book |last=Espejo Olaya |first=Maria Bernarda |year=1999 |url=http://cvc.cervantes.es/lengua/thesaurus/pdf/54/TH_54_003_424_0.pdf |title=Notas sobre toponimia en algunas coplas colombianas - Notes about toponomy of some Colombian ballads - Thesaurus |volume=LIV |pages=1102–1157 |language=es |access-date=2016-07-08}}
{{cite book |last=Groot de Mahecha |author-link=Ana María Groot |first=Ana María |year=2008 |title=Sal y poder en el altiplano de Bogotá, 1537-1640 |publisher=Universidad Nacional de Colombia |pages=1-174 |isbn=978-958-719-046-5 |language=es}}
{{cite web |last=Groot de Mahecha |author-link=Ana María Groot |first=Ana María |year=1992 |title=Checua: Una secuencia cultural entre 8500 y 3000 años antes del presente |language=es |trans-title=Checua: a cultural sequence between 8500 and 3000 years before present |publisher=Banco de la República |url=http://www.banrepcultural.org/blaavirtual/fian/monografias/checua-una-secuencia-cultural |pages=1-95 |access-date=2016-07-08}}
{{cite journal |last=Paepe |first=Paul de |last2=Cardale de Schrimpff |author2-link=Marianne Cardale de Schrimpff |first2=Marianne |year=1990 |title=Resultados de un estodio petrológico de cerámicas del Periodo Herrera provenientes de la Sabana de Bogotá y sus implicaciones arqueológicas |language=es |trans-title=Results of a petrological study of ceramics form the Herrera Period coming from the Bogotá savanna and its archaeological implications |url=http://publicaciones.banrepcultural.org/index.php/bmo/article/viewFile/7069/7315 |journal=Boletín Museo del Oro |volume=_ |pages=99-119 |publisher=Museo del Oro|access-date=2016-07-08}}
{{cite web |last=Restrepo Manrique |first=Cecilia |year=2009 |title=La alimentación en la vida cotidiana del Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario: 1653-1773 & 1776-1900 |language=es |trans-title=The food in the daily life of the Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Señora del Rosario: 1653-1773 & 1776-1900 | publisher=Ministerio de la Cultura |location=Bogotá, Colombia | url=http://www.mincultura.gov.co/Sitios/patrimonio/bibliotecas-de-cocinas/tomos/tomo06.pdf |pages=1–352 |access-date=2016-07-08}}
{{cite journal |last=Rivera Pérez |first=Pedro Alexander |year=2013 |title=Uso de fauna y espacios rituales en el precerámico de la sabana de Bogotá |trans-title=Use of fauna and ritual spaces in the preceramic of the Bogotá savanna |journal=Revista ArchaeoBIOS |volume=7-1 |pages=71-86 |issn=1996-5214 |language=es}}
{{cite web |last=Zerda |author-link=Liborio Zerda |first=Liborio |year=1947 |origyear=1883 |title=El Dorado |url=http://www.banrepcultural.org/sites/default/files/87219/brblaa302323.pdf |language=es |access-date=2016-07-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190707132242/http://www.banrepcultural.org/sites/default/files/87219/brblaa302323.pdf |archive-date=2019-07-07}}