A pre-Columbian goldworking culture of the middle Cauca River valley in western Colombia, defined from a large cemetery at Hacienda Malagana near Palmira; renowned for elaborate cast and hammered gold funerary offerings and designated by archaeologists the 'Malagana-Sonsoid' ceramic-cultural complex.
The recognized Malagana-Sonsoid archaeological horizon runs to approximately 300 AD. The site itself was accidentally uncovered by farm workers in 1992 and suffered catastrophic looting (an estimated 4 tons of gold artifacts removed by up to 5,000 looters before authorities regained control); a rescue excavation by Colombia's ICANH, led by archaeologist Marianne Cardale de Schrimpff, salvaged and documented what remained.
Survey of ancient South American cultures; covers the Colombian Cauca valley traditions including Malagana.