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| | Museo del Oro, Banco de la República - Pre-Hispanic Societies |
 | | Muisca chieftainships were political units that covered a large territory: they were organised around a central figure, the chieftain, and his retinue of captains, priests and criers. |
 | | The criers, meanwhile, were the chieftains' messengers, men a particular chieftain gave part of his paraphernalia to - things like ear rings, blankets and diadems - so that they could demonstrate the chieftain's power in places where his presence was needed but he was unable to go to. |
 | | It was thus the chieftains, captains, local priests and criers who kept Muisca peoples and territory united. |
| www.banrep.gov.co /museo/eng/s_muisca02.htm (274 words) |
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