So my guidebook said that Pachacamac (some 30 minutes outside of Lima), is a lesser known (but well-worth seeing) archeological site in the same league as Machu Picchu and Chán Chán. We drove right by the entrance on our way back from Casa Blanca, so a group of us decided to stop and see.
If I had been blindfolded and flown to the site, I would have guessed I was in Egypt. Despite being in view of the coastline, the ruins sit in a sea of sand. The only vegetation is in the yards of the rich folk who live nearby.
Really, all that's left is a pile of bricks, but it has a really rich history, starting back to the 1st and 2nd century.
It was a pilgrimage site for the Huari people, where they worshipped Pachacamac, their creator of the world. In the 15th century, the city was captured by the Incas, who (of course) added other buildings, including the Accllahuasi, the Palace of the Chosen Women — where they prepared the most intelligent, beautiful and accomplished virgins from the highest class to be sacrificed. They brought them up the hill to the Temple of the Sun, where they killed them on a patio overlooking the sunset on the Pacific Ocean. It's a tragic story, but the view really is incredible. I could see why they would want to worship it.
The site was excavated and over 200 mummies were found — mummies which are now in some museum in Germany. According to our guide, it's not that uncommon: Archeologists from foreign countries come to Peru, promising to leave the found riches with the Peruvian people, but in the end, they don't. She said the problem is largely monetary. As Peru doesn't have the money to excavate the site, they have to rely on outsiders.
It was a beautiful site, and totally wet my appetite for more pre-Columbian ruins!
If you want more information, you can find it at:
http://pachacamac.perucultural.org.pe/ (for my bilingual friends)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pachacamac
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment