Archaeological sights in Peru
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Nazca Lines
Spread over 500 sq km (310 sq mi) of arid, rock-strewn plain in the Pampa Colorada (Red Plain), the Nazca Lines are one of the world's great archaeological mysteries. Comprising over 800 straight lines, 300 geometric figures (geoglyphs) and 70 animal and plant drawings (biomorphs), the lines are almost imperceptible on the ground. From above, they form a striking network of stylized figures and channels, many of which radiate from a central axis.
The figures are mostly etched out in single continuous lines, while the encompassing geoglyphs form perfect triangles, rectangles or straight lines running for several kilometers across the desert.
The lines were made by the simp…
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Machu Picchu
For many travelers to Peru, a visit to the lost Incan city of Machu Picchu is the whole purpose of their trip. With its awe-inspiring location, it is the best-known and most spectacular archaeological site on the continent. Despite being swamped by tourists from June to September, it still retains an air of grandeur and mystery. Alejandro Toledo, the country's first indigenous Andean president, impressively staged his inauguration here in 2001.
Apart from a few indigenous Quechuas, nobody knew of Machu Picchu's existence until American historian Hiram Bingham stumbled upon it in 1911. When Bingham returned in 1912 and 1915, he also discovered some of the ruins on the so-…
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Chan Chan
Built around AD 1300 and covering 28 sq km (17 sq mi), Chan Chan is the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas, and the largest adobe city in the world. At the height of the Chimu Empire, it housed an estimated 60,000 inhabitants and contained a vast wealth of gold, silver and ceramics. The wealth remained undisturbed after the city was conquered by the Incas, but once the Spaniards hit the stage the looting began.
Within a few decades, little but gold dust remained. Although Chan Chan must have once been a dazzling sight, El Niño floods and heavy rainfall have severely eroded the mud walls. Today, the most impressive aspect of the site is its sheer size.
The Chimu c…
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Chan Chan
Built around AD 1300 and covering 28 sq km (17 sq mi), Chan Chan is the largest pre-Columbian city in the Americas, and the world's largest adobe city. At the height of the Chimu Empire, it housed around 60,000 people, and contained a wealth of gold, silver and ceramics. The riches remained undisturbed after the Incas conquered the city, but once the Spaniards hit the stage the looting began. Within a few decades little but gold dust remained.
Remnants of what was found can be seen in museums. Although Chan Chan must have been a dazzling sight at one time, devastating El Niño floods and heavy rainfall have severely eroded its mud walls. Today, the most impressive aspect o…
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Tambo Colorado
Tambo Colorado, an early Inca lowland outpost about 45km northeast of Pisco, was named for the red paint that once completely covered its adobe walls. It's one of the best-preserved sites on the south coast and is thought to have served as an administrative base and control point for passing traffic, mostly conquered peoples. An on-site caretaker will collect the fee and can answer questions in Spanish.
From Pisco, it takes about an hour to get there by car. Hire a taxi for half a day or take a tour from Pisco (two-person minimum). A combi through the village of Humay passes Tambo Colorado 20 minutes beyond the village; it leaves from the Pisco market early in the morning…
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Intihuatana
A staircase behind the Sacristy climbs a small hill to the major shrine in Machu Picchu, the Intihuatana . This Quechua word loosely translates as the 'Hitching Post of the Sun' and refers to the carved rock pillar, often mistakenly called a sundial, which stands at the top of the Intihuatana hill. The Inca's astronomers were able to predict the solstices using the angles of this pillar. Thus, they were able to claim control over the return of the lengthening summer days.
Exactly how the pillar was used for these astronomical purposes remains unclear, but its elegant simplicity and high craftwork make it a highlight of the complex. It is recorded that there were several o…
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Nazca Lines
Spread across an incredible 500 sq km (193 sq mi) of arid, rock-strewn land, the Nazca Lines remain one of the world's great archaeological mysteries. Eight hundred straight lines, geometric figures and some spectacular animal and plant drawings, the lines are almost imperceptible at ground level; only viewed from above do they form their striking vision.
So, who made the lines and why? Theories abound regarding their purpose, from a giant astronomical calendar to an extraterrestrial landing site. A more recent (and down-to-earth) hypothesis posits that the lines were part of a water fertility cult that once ruled Peru's southern desert. Entry on foot is prohibited to pro…
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Pachacamac
Situated about 31km southeast of the city center, the archaeological complex of Pachacamac is a pre-Columbian citadel made up of adobe and stone palaces and temple pyramids. If you’ve been to Machu Picchu, it may not look like much, but this was an important Inca site and a major city when the Spanish arrived. It began as a ceremonial center for the Lima culture beginning at about AD 100, and was later expanded by the Waris before being taken over by the Ichsma. The Incas added numerous other structures upon their arrival to the area in 1450. The name Pachacamac, which can be variously translated as ‘He who Animated the World’ or ‘He who Created Land and Time, ’ comes fro…
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Paracas Necropolis
Inside the Reserva Nacional de Paracas, a few hundred meters behind the park visitors complex is the 5000-year-old remains of the Paracas Necropolis, a late site of the Paracas culture, which predated the Incas by more than a thousand years. A stash of over 400 funerary bundles was found here, each wrapped in many layers of colorful, woven shrouds for which the Paracas culture is famous. There's little to see now though.
Lima's Museo de la Nación and Ica's Museo Regional de Ica exhibit some exquisite textiles and other finds from the site.
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Temple of the Sun
Just above and to the left of the ceremonial baths is Machu Picchu's only round building, the Temple of the Sun , a curved and tapering tower that contains some of Machu Picchu's finest stonework. It appears to have been used for astronomical purposes. Inside are an altar and a curiously drilled trapezoidal window that looks onto the site.
The Temple of the Sun is cordoned off to visitors, but you can see into it from above, which is how you'll be approaching it if you take the stairs leading down and to the left from the caretaker's hut.
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Temple of the Moon
To get to the small Temple of the Moon, you take a plunging path down past Wayna Picchu. The trail is easy to follow, but involves steep sections, a ladder and an overhanging cave, where you have to bend over to get by. The spectacular trail drops and climbs steeply before plunging into the cloud forest. Suddenly, you reach a cleared area where the small, very well-made ruins are found. It's just a shame they're marred by graffiti.
The descent takes about an hour, and the ascent back to the main Wayna Picchu trail longer.
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Phuyupatamarka
Towards the end of the Inca Trail, you'll reach the beautiful, well-restored ruin of Phuyupatamarka (Town Above the Clouds), about 3600m (11,811ft) above sea level, which contains a stunning series of ceremonial baths with water running through them. A ridge here also offers camping - while it's a fabulous spot to watch the sun set, it's also the place where keen trekkers leave at 03:00 in a race to reach the Sun Gate in time for sunrise.
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Principal Temple
With the Temple of the Three Windows behind you, the Principal Temple is to your right. Its name derives from the massive solidity and perfection of its construction. The damage to the rear right corner of the temple is the result of the ground settling below this corner rather than any inherent weakness in the masonry itself. Opposite the Principal Temple is what is known as the House of the High Priest.
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Cahuachi
A dirt road travels 25km west from Nazca to Cahuachi , the most important known Nazca center, which is still undergoing excavation. It consists of several pyramids, a graveyard and an enigmatic site called Estaquería, which may have been used as a place of mummification. Tours from Nazca take three hours and may include a side trip to Pueblo Viejo, a nearby pre-Nazca residential settlement.
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Sacristy
Behind and connected to the Principal Temple lies a famous small building called the Sacristy . It has many well-carved niches, perhaps used for the storage of ceremonial objects, as well as a carved stone bench. The Sacristy is especially known for the two rocks flanking its entrance; each is said to contain 32 angles, but it's easy to come up with a different number whenever you count them.
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Museo JC Tello
Inside the Reserva Nacional de Paracas, next door to the park visitor centre, is the Museo JC Tello. Unfortunately, the museum's best pieces were stolen a few years ago, but an interesting collection of weavings, trophy heads and trepanned skulls (showing an ancient medical technique wherein a slice of the skull is removed, relieving pressure on the brain resulting from injuries) remains.
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de Sitio Manuel Chávez Ballón
Don't miss the new Museo de Sitio Manuel Chávez Ballón by Puente Ruinas at the base of the footpath to Machu Picchu. Buses headed back from the ruins to Aguas Calientes will stop upon request at the bridge, from where you can head back to town later, usually less than a half hour's walk.
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Incan Citadel
This hilltop Incan citadel lies high above the village of Pisac on a triangular plateau with a plunging gorge on either side. It's a truly awesome site, but you'll see surprisingly few tourists here, except mid-morning on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, when it becomes flooded with tour groups.
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Acorema Interpretation Center
The dusty Acorema Interpretation Center , housed in a curious old Swiss-style building, has tame exhibits on biodiversity and conservation in Paracas plus a large whale skeleton tucked away to one side. It's in a dangerous part of town near the beach, so take a mototaxi.
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Sechín
Sechín, 5km southeast of Casma, is one of Peru’s granddaddy archaeological sites, dating from about 1600 BC. It is among the more important and well-preserved ruins along this coast, though it has suffered some damage from grave robbers and natural disasters.
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Huaca Huallamarca
Nestled among condominium towers and sprawling high-end homes, the simple Huaca Huallamarca is a highly restored adobe pyramid, produced by the Lima culture, that dates to AD 200 to 500. A small on-site museum, complete with mummy, details its excavation.
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Royal Tomb
Below the temple is an almost hidden, natural rock cave that has been carefully carved, with a steplike altar and sacred niches, by the Inca stonemasons. It is known as the Royal Tomb , though no mummies were actually ever found here.
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