Jurassic Park Revisited and Dead Bulls in Corire, Peru

Jurassic Park Revisited and Dead Bulls in the Rio Majes Valley, Peru

September 14 and 15, 2013

            We left early Saturday am by bus for Corire on the same road as Pampacolca but half the distance. Since the archaeologists at Pampacolca returned home earlier this week, a visit to the site was postponed, and a visit to the Toro Muerto Petroglyphs was substituted. We arranged for an overnight stay at Hostal Willy in Corire. The bus ride was 3 hours across deserts, down and across river valleys, and finally following the Rio Majes and Valley to Corire. This town advertises itself for two things: the Toro Muerto (Dead Bull) Petroglyphs and Camarones (Shrimp).  

            It was interesting to note on the ride over that where water was available (or made available) agricultural crops and animals have been introduced. This was obvious in some desert areas, but especially obvious following the Rio Majes to and beyond Corire. Various grains, rice patties, fruit trees (including pomegranates), dairy cows, and other farm animals. This is a rich area for agriculture. Later we found out that much of this valley floods during December and into January. More about this and the shrimp later. 

            We arrived in Corire around 12:30 pm and walked to the hostal. It was a nice clean place for only 50 soles ($16)/per/night. However, as we prepared to go out to the petroglyphs, the wind picked up the desert sands and flew it down the valley. I was disappointed since I did not care to damage my camera with the blowing sand. Then, some locals told us about some dinosaur tracks further up river in a tranquil area. So, after a full 2 pm meal, we hired a taxi to take us to the site, arriving minutes before the 3 pm closing. This site is located above the fertile valley, and we immediately noticed that tectonic forces sometime in the distant past had lifted the plates up at this location up to a 45-degree angle exposing the three-toed tracks. Since we got inside the gate before three, the time was ours. Actually, the long afternoon shadows were already in the valley. We climbed up and indeed saw the tracks which were a challenge to photograph since the plate was at a 45-degree angle and they put a fence around the site. The visit here was unexpected, so we were content with the afternoon events and decided to view the petroglyphs early Sunday morning. 

            Back in town, we noticed that several farm families were carrying their goods to the plaza area setting up a market. This appeared strange since it was Saturday evening. We also heard about a fiesta at a nearby Catholic church. Indeed, a Catholic church had set up a huge fireworks tower with spinning wheels and other devices. After mass, hot chocolate was passed around, but we heard different times for the fireworks, 9, 10, 10:30 pm so we returned to the plaza to check out the market. They had numerous kinds of potatoes, nuts, beans, rice, cheeses, and a host of other farm products, including baby chicks. I was tempted to sample and to buy the farm cheeses but resisted. I have had yellow and white cheeses in our flat since my August arrival. We ate and drank at a recommended local plaza restaurant (delicious and good price), the numerous food booths were set up and all appeared busy with customers.

            Sunday am we called Saturday’s taxi guy to take us out to the petroglyphs at 8 am. We were hunting for a place where I could get brewed coffee, no such luck, so I had to settle for instant. But we noticed that the food booths were still there and now serving the populous a meaty and fried breakfast. Well, our taxi guy showed up on time and we were off to the petroglyphs. There were just south of town and off the road, but here the Lonely Planet was perhaps not in error but incomplete. It mentions that the checkpoint was “about 2km uphill to a checkpoint where the visitors must sign in.” We had thought, “2km,” okay, we can have the taxi take us there and we can walk back, especially since the dirt track was just outside of town. However, finding the “checkpoint” without the taxi would not have been easy. More importantly, the petroglyphs were another 3-4km distant AND 900-feet up in elevation from the main road. Plus, if you wanted to see the non-vandalized glyphs, you need to hike still further up. Fortunately, we had asked our driver to wait 2-hours for us at the shade 3-4km after the checkpoint, and we continued up in elevation. Another blessing, we were there by 8:30 am and had sufficient water for the two hours in the sun. It was worth the hike and worth the 2 hours we had the taxi driver wait with us. Do not hike there from Corire and back unless you have most of the day and at least 2 liters of water per person. 

The "white" rocks are the petroglyphs

One of the "Dancing" figures

            I’ve attempted to do some research on the Toro Muerto (Dead Bull) glyphs, including checking on the Ph.D. individual credited with finding the glyphs and writing them up, Eloy Linares Malaga, who died in 2011. There seems to be consensus that the glyphs date to the Wari (Huari) culture dating back before the Inca to 1200 years ago.  The glyphs have been numbered (some 5000) and catalogued and are scattered over several square kilometers of desert. You will see jaguars, vultures (or condors) that may remind some of Horus, the Egyptian falcon god (remember, I’ve worked in the Middle East over a 40-year period), serpents, lamas/alpacas, rivers (?), people with headgear/headdresses (?), hunters hunting deer, and more. As we archaeologists uncover evidence from the past, we try to figure out who did this here, when, what is represented, and why. Perhaps the who (Wari) and the when (1200 years ago) are correct, but there seems to be no consensus on the interpretation of many of the glyphs—and why here? This is a windswept valley high above the fertile valley, the volcanic rocks are soft, and these 5000 (?) carvings took a lot of time. For what purpose did they carve them here? For this there is no consensus. This intriguing site is new to me and memorable. The current resident experts have not yet figured out the minds of the past residents of this area. Some of the discussion focuses on the dancing figures wearing headgear--who are they and what are they doing. Is it a religious ritual? Are they related to figures known around Lake Titicacca? Again, no consensus. 

         

Horus? (Of course not, but ....)

Dancing Figures

The Dancing Figures

We went higher in elevation than this "shade" on the left. Way down the valley, right of center, and in the desert sand is our taxi parked under a shade. This picture gives perspective to the distance you must hike to see petroglyphs. Mirire is in the green area beyond. The morning hike here is worth doing. 

 

            Above, I mentioned that the river valley floods December-January. Much of the farm land drowns underwater. My wife made the comparison to Egypt and the Nile River. Currently, there are restaurants and other structures located on the river—all are temporary. The restaurants highlight Camarones (Shrimp) and the village has its shrimp festival (river crayfish?) in October down here by the river. Before the rainy season begins, these restaurants and structures are dismantled and trucked off to higher ground. My wife and I walked over a bridge spanning the river. I mentioned to her that this was a temporary bridge. We asked and sure enough, this bridge would disappear during the floods; they would simply rebuild and then again have an additional crossing point for 10 months of the year. In Egypt, the land was accurately surveyed enabling the farmer to return to his plot once the Nile receded. I did not ask if the restaurant owners and others did similarly to ensure no problems with their neighbors.  

Temporary bridge across the river. It will be washed away in December.

Restaurants are in the background past the fishermen (right of center)

Come in October for the Camaron. PAZ