250 Years of Discovery

Latin America Tour Consultant Marie-Louisa Lowther travelled to Peru for the second time, and discovered there was far more to ancient Peru than the Incas.

Machu Picchu, Peru

My second trip to Peru was a real eye opener. Apart from the fact that this time I was travelling in style as opposed to backpacking and living on a shoestring, I visited some little known places that made me realise that there is so much more to this fascinating country than the awe-inspiring Machu Picchu.

Don’t get me wrong, I do find the Incas fascinating. Being the most recent culture before the Spanish invaded, they are the culture we know most about, with many chronicles of their marvellous history being sent to Europe. However, it is in a way, purely through marketing that tourism in Peru has developed like it has. Little is known to the outside world about the ten or more centuries which preceded these people: the equally great Mochita and Chimu cultures.

Peru’s northern coast is home to some of the country’s greatest archaeological treasures, built by the highly-skilled pre-Inca people who once thrived in the region.

The Moche or Mochita people had an extremely long reign, from about 200 to 900 AD. They ruled through the time of the Nazcas, the Mexican Mayans and the Roman Empire. Although they had no writing system, a culture developed that was extremely sophisticated for its time, and is now known for its fine ceramics and masterful metalwork.

Chan Chan Ruins, Trujillo

The Sun and Moon temples near Trujillo are the former Moche capital and one of the most important urban ceremonial centres of the pre- Inca societies. The site has only been excavated since 1991 and still has few visitors. The Moon temple is open to the public – three platforms and four plazas are surrounded by decorated adobe walls. The Sun Temple, which is under excavation, is possibly the largest adobe building in the world. In the plain between the two temples lies the urban area or old Moche, a series of structures that have remained covered by a think layer of sand and sediment.

For another fine example of the Mochita rule travel further north along the coast to the archaeological complex of ‘El Brujo’ which means ‘the wizard or shaman’. Its origins date back more than 5000 years and the site is very well preserved considering its age. It was used by shaman and even nowadays renowned witches of the region go there to evoke the spirits of their ancestors to treat illness and fight against evil spirits. Last year a 1,600 year old mummy ruler was discovered, tattooed and embalmed and buried with sacrificial slaves, animals and symbols of power.

Further up the coast still is the tomb of Lord Sipan, one of the great Moche rulers. A modern and majestic museum formed in the shape of a pyramid to represent the original tomb, has many original exhibits, each cleaned and restored to the minutest detail. Lord Sipan himself, who is believed to be one of the most important figures of ancient Peru, is buried in the museum and visitors can view his skeleton. The original tomb was badly looted, with many of the artefacts ending up in the hands of private collectors such as Enrico Poli, whose private museum in Lima is one of the most impressive in the world. Whilst some question whether such national treasures should be in a private collection, Poli claims that he os offering the chance to view the treasures, and if he had not bought them these important artefacts would end up abroad.

Subsequent to the Moche period was the Chimu Kingdom, the pre- Inca period. They ruled from the 9th century until 1450 when the Incas invaded. Chan Chan near Trujillo is the former capital of the empire, and consists of various adobe palaces spreading over 15 kilometres. Of them only the dragon or rainbow temple and the central Tschudi Palace can be visited. The temples are decorated with symmetrical wall drawings, which were ogirinally brightly coloured but now all the dye has disappeared. Excavations begun here in 1964 and are still under way. There is also a very good museum displaying artefacts discovered there including pottery and tools.

Kuelap, Chachapoyas, Peru

This is just the start. Visit Caral, the remains of one of the world’s oldest cities and the oldest city in the Americas, situated 3 hours north of Lima. Further north still, Kuelap has huge defensive walls and castles involving three times more material than the Egyptian pyramids, Leymebamba has its fantastic collection of pre- Inca mummies. Venturing slightly off the beaten track, such amazing ruins of ancient cities can be seen.

View Cox & Kings’ Peru holidays.