Located in Ferreñafe, this splendid museum displays replicas of the 12m-deep tombs found at the Sicán site at Batán Grande, among the largest tombs found in South America. Enigmatic burials were discovered within – the Lord of Sicán was buried upside down, in a fetal position, with his head separated from his body. Beside him were the bodies of two women and two adolescents, as well a sophisticated security system – the red sinabrio dust, toxic if inhaled – to ward off grave robbers.
Another important tomb contained a nobleman sitting in a cross-legged position and wearing a mask and headdress of gold and feathers, surrounded by smaller tombs and niches containing the bodies of one man and 22 young women. The museum is worth the journey, and it’s never crowded. Guided tours from Chiclayo to Ferreñafe and on to the Santuario Histórico Bosque de Pomac cost around S40 per person. Alternatively buses for Ferreñafe (S1.50) leave frequently from Chiclayo’s Terminal de Microbuses Epsel.
