Jijón y Caamaño, Jacinto (1890–1950)

The Ecuadoran archaeologist and historian Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño, born December 11, 1890, was a member of the traditional aristocracy of Quito, heir to several major haciendas, a large textile factory, and the title of Conde de Casa Jijón. He was the first Ecuadoran to undertake field archaeology in his country, a competent self-taught historian, a linguist, a major collector of art, artifacts, books, and manuscripts, a benefactor of the Academia Nacional de Historia (formerly the Sociedad Ecuatoriana de Estudios Históricos Americanos), of which he was a founding member, and politically, a champion and ideologue of the Conservative Party. Dissuaded by his mother from marrying the woman he loved, he eventually wed his cousin María Luisa Flores y Caamaño, a granddaughter of Juan José Flores, the first president of Ecuador (1830–1834, 1839–1845), through whom he inherited the Flores family papers, including those of Juan José's son Antonio Flores Jijón, also a president of Ecuador (1888–1892).

Jijón y Caamaño built one of the largest and most imposing mansion complexes in Quito, the Circasiana, with a separate building for his growing collections, including that of his mentor Federico González Suárez, which Jijón y Caamaño acquired after the archbishop-historian's death in 1917. His former library now houses the Archivo Municipal de Historia. Jijón y Caamaño led the failed Conservative putsch of 1924 and served as alcalde (mayor) of Quito, but was happiest in the field and in his study. Although he never graduated from college, he made major contributions to the study of the prehistory and history of Ecuador. Jijón y Caamaño died August 17, 1950, and fortunately his collections have been maintained. His library holdings, including thousands of manuscripts, now constitute the Fondo Jijón y Caamaño in the Banco Central del Ecuador's former Centro de Investigación y Cultura building in Quito, and his collection of archaeological artifacts and colonial art are in the Centro Cultural de la Pontificia Uni-versidad Católica de Quito, as is also the Archivo-Museo Juan José Flores.

See alsoEcuador, Political Parties: Conservative Party; Flores Jijón, Antonio; González Suárez, (Manuel María) Federico.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jijón y Caamaño, Jacinto. Quito y la independencia de América. Quito: Universidad Central, 1922.

Jijón y Caamaño, Jacinto. Solemne pronunciamiento de la capital de Quito y demás pueblos del Sur de Colombia, por el cual se constituye el Ecuador en estado soberano, libre e independiente: Año de 1830. Quito: Universidad Central, 1922.

Jijón y Caamaño, Jacinto. Escritos del Doctor Francisco Javier Eugenio Santa Cruz y Espejo. Vol. 3. Quito: Imprensa Municipal, 1923.

Jijón y Caamaño, Jacinto. Política conservadora. 2 vols. Riobamba, Ecuador: La Buena prensa del Chimborazo, 1929–1934.

Jijón y Caamaño, Jacinto. Sebastián de Benalcázar. 3 vols. Quito: Imprensa del Clero, 1936–1949.

Jijón y Caamaño, Jacinto. El Ecuador interandino y occidental antes de la conquista castellana. 4 vols. Quito: Editorial Ecuatoriana, 1940–1947.

Jijón y Caamaño, Jacinto. Antropología prehispánica del Ecuador, 2nd edition. Quito: Museo Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño, 1997.

Larrea, Carlos Manuel. Las principales publicaciones de Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño sobre la historia ecuatoriana: Reseña cronológica y crítica. Quito: Editorial Benalcázar, 1977.

Vargas, José María. Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño: Su vida y su museo de arqueología y arte ecuatoriano. Quito: Editorial Santo Domingo, 1971.

                                    Michael T. Hamerly