Getting High (and Low) in Peru, Year 2: Archaeological Adventures

Getting High (and Low) in Peru, Year 2.

Visiting Nasca (Lines), Ica, Paracas, and Ayacucho

Nasca Lines: Astronaut or Owl Man?

            Sunday afternoon, October 12, we returned from a 10-day trip to Nasca, Ica, Paracas, and ending in Ayacucho. We began at the Pacific coast, our low. As last year, the focus was on the archaeology of Peru, both pre-Inca and Inca. But, I also flew over the Nasca lines (yes, I know, this too was archaeology related), took a boat to the Islas Ballestas (Ballestas Islands) sometimes nicknamed the ‘poor man’s Galapagos,’ and we went to Huacachina, an oasis in the desert where we had an exciting dune buggy ride and went sandboarding. 

The islands

While staying in Ica, our hotel also was a bodega making Pisco and wine (we sampled, of course). We hired a taxi and visited a couple of other nearby bodegas sampling their Pisco and wine as well. 

Our hotel's bodega

Tacama's bodega

A few miles outside of Ica and in the desert is the Chauchilla Cemetery. What makes this site unique is not just that the burials date back one thousand years, but you see 1000s of holes dug by huaqueros, grave robbers digging for burial goods and scattering the bones of the formerly buried individuals. The site is now protected, and you are able to see dozens of mummified burial bundles; however, human bones continue to be scattered about this huge site. If you watch for tracks, you will find that foxes continue to visit as well. 

Lastly, we ascended back up into the Andes and spent 3 complete days in Huamanga, better known to us as Ayacucho. These last 3 days were dedicated to learning more about the Wari and Inca cultures, and I was not disappointed (well, maybe a little bit, but I explain below). South of Ayacucho, we visited one Inca site only recently being excavated, and I truly believe that if the Inca could return, they would reoccupy Pomacocha, a site without the 1000s of daily visitors as at Machu Picchu. Even their ‘bano’ (bathing area) continues to function. 

Pomacocha

Pomacocha's Bano

Further south of Pomacocha is Vilcashuaman believed to have been a regional center for the Inca once they expanded north from Cusco. It too does not have many visitors since the dirt road and the numerous switchbacks entail an average of 15 mph for several hours. This site is unique since it has a pyramid-shaped temple and the nearby Catholic Church is built over a vast Inca platform.

The pyramid

The basalt 'throne' said to hold the Inca and his sister wife--once gilded with gold

Plaza: Inca statue with church on Inca platform in back

Basalt 'sacrificial' stone right with local women left

Inca Platform with Catholic Church on top. Another basalt throne in foreground

This girl was snacking inside the sacrificial stone. I did ask her mother for permission.

On our final day in Ayacucho, we visited the Wari Capital city of “Wari” just a few miles north of Ayacucho. Since we visited (and I reported on) Cerro Baul, the southern extent of the Wari Empire, I wanted to come to their HQ. The museum was small but informative, but the site itself was not visitor friendly. The extensive barbed wire and even “no photography” signs on the site (?) told me that they really do not welcome visitors. Too bad. 

Wari: Templo 'D'

            I plan to show and explain more on the specific sites in the near future on this blog site.

Idea for the 'crystal' skull Indy Jones movie?

Trophy Skulls

Burial Bundle

Ceramic bowl

            The museums and the staff at the various sites were cooperative once I explained that I am an archaeologist researching the Wari, for example. I will credit them on my future blogs. Without their cooperation, it would be very difficult to make sense of the pre-Spanish cultures. I was able to photograph dozens of mummy bundles, and dozens of skulls including the deformed ones that may have led to the Indiana Jones movie number 4 with the crystal skulls—a very historically inaccurate movie. (I have a better plot for Steven Spielberg.) In the museums I was able to photograph dozens of ceramics from the various cultures. Ceramic typology is a very important dating tool.  Paz.