Lake Parime
Lake Parime or Lake Parima is a legendary lake located in South America. It was reputedly the location of the fabled city of El Dorado, also known as Manoa, much sought-after by European explorers. Repeated attempts to find the lake failed to confirm its existence, and it was dismissed as a myth along with the city. The search for Lake Parime led explorers to map the rivers and other features of southern Venezuela, northern Brazil, and southwestern Guyana before the lake's existence was definitively disproved in the early 19th century. Some explorers proposed that the seasonal flooding of the Rupununi savannah may have been misidentified as a lake. Recent geological investigations suggest that a lake may have existed in northern Brazil, but that it dried up some time in the 18th century. Both Manoa (Arawak language) and Parime (Carib language) are believed to mean "big lake".
| Lake Parime | |
|---|---|
| Lake Parima, Parime Lacus | |
Nicolas Sanson's 1656 map showing the "lake or sea called by the Caribes, Parime, by the Iaoyi, Roponowini." Manoa or El Dorado is located on the northwest corner of the lake. To the north is Lake Cassipa. | |
Lake Parime Hypothesized locations in Brazil and Guyana Lake Parime Lake Parime (Guyana) | |
| Location | Northeastern South America (various locations proposed) |
| Coordinates | 2.262554°N 59.627329°W |
| Type | Mythical lake |
| River sources | Parime River, Takutu River, Orinoco |
| Max. length | 400 km (250 mi) |
| Max. width | 80 km (50 mi) |
| Surface area | 80,000 km2 (31,000 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 120 m (390 ft) |
| Settlements | Manoa, El Dorado |
Two other mythical lakes, Lake Xarayes or Xaraies (sometimes called Lake Eupana), and Lake Cassipa, are often depicted on early maps of South America.