Tucked beneath the thick canopy of the Ecuadorian Amazon, not far from the Andes, lies a place that’s stirred whispers for generations: Cueva de los Tayos.
To the Shuar people, it’s a sacred site. To some explorers, it’s a doorway to lost civilizations.
To scientists, it’s a complex cave system with remarkable natural features... and more than a few unanswered questions.
Where the Oilbirds Roost
Named after the nocturnal "tayos," or oilbirds, that nest within its walls, the cave plunges more than 200 feet below the surface.
Its vertical entrance is a near-perfect shaft through limestone and shale, leading into chambers that stretch for miles.
Some of its rock formations appear unnaturally symmetrical, prompting speculation that parts of the cave may be man-made... or at least altered by ancient hands.
The Shuar have long held the cave as sacred, and stories of strange artifacts and metallic tablets hidden in its depths have captured the imagination of outsiders for decades.
The most famous expedition came in 1976, when a team that included British and Ecuadorian researchers... and astronaut Neil Armstrong... descended into its darkness.
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