Born as the City of the Kings, the current capital of Peru was not only the center of the Spanish administration in America for more than 300 years, but it was also an oasis of European culture inside the New World.  Capital of a great empire that was born in Nicaragua and finished in the Strait of Magellan, iit was the headquarters and promoter of an architectural and religious cultural development imitated by the remainder cities founded by the Spaniards in American lands. 

The history of Lima begins in its foundation in 1535, under the command of Francisco Pizarro, leader of the conquest of the Empire of the Inca.  After the division of the city in sections, the beginning of constructions of the social institutions and the civil war among the conquerors, arrived the first Virrey of the colony:  Blasco Núñez de Vela.

The Virrey was the representative of the king of Spain and he was chosen among the nobility.  He entered Lima with all the honors and he established policies that his followers would continue for 300 years.

The importance of the Virrey in Lima

In the old House of Pizarro, at present called Palace of Government, was the dwelling of the Virrey for the time of his stay as the leader of the Colony, which should not exceed 4 years.  This was found in the main square, which was decorated every year according to the social and religious festivities that were celebrated in Spain.

With the stable presence of the virrey, the adjoining sectors to the main square became the most important social center of the capital.  Because of it, the nobility native lived in the closest sector to the Plaza, doing gala of their wealth adorning their houses with fine engraved stone details and promoting the construction of wood balconies that gave view to the street.

What does the Virrey do?

As we had said before, the Virrey was the representative of the king of Spain in the colony.  He had five main responsibilities: political, military, judicial, economic and religious.  In the first years of the Colony, there was a virrey in Mexico and another in Lima.  After the Bourbon Reforms of the 18th century, the extensive viceroyalty of Peru was subdivided in two more divisions, being added the political power to the virrey of new Granada – current Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Panama – and of Rio de Plata – current Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay -.

Inside the colonial administration system, an promotion was considered if a virrey was elevated of its position to Virrey of Peru.

The Colonial Lima and its relationship with Peru

Being its capital, Lima was one of the political divisions of the extensive viceroyalty of Peru.  It was divided into small towns since 1550, that were the gem of the current political division of the country.  From it departed the legislations towards the other small towns and the administration of natural and economic resources.

Furthermore, Lima was the highest seat of the Real Audience, the court of virreinal justice, whose jurisdiction covered all the other viceroyalties as last instance in case some legal dispute.  Because of it, in view of their importance, it was the first city elected by the king of Spain to be the headquarters of the first university of America:  la Universidad Nacional de San Marcos, from where delegations of American intellectuals  left to found similar capitals in the remainder of the Spanish kingdoms of the New World.

Image: Skyscraper

Blogalaxia Tags: Lima, History, Peru, Colony, Viceroyalty of Peru, Tourism, Architecture, Spain

There are several figures who are associated with colonial Lima, owing to its architectural, cultural, and social features. When we think about Lima, we recall the great boulevards, the exquisite constructions, her carvings in high relief and the sensuality of the Covered Woman of LimaÑ the prototype of beauty for the Peruvian woman.

Origin and use

The cloak and the smock, distinctive garments of the Covered Woman of Lima, appeared in the city around 1560. It is suspected that they are of Moorish origin, since they resemble the full-body garments of Muslim women. However, the Catholic community rejected this idea as an “offense to God”.

This type of clothing would emanate insinuation, flirtation, sensuality, and prohibition. The smock outlines the hips and delineates the bodies of young Liman women, while the cloak would cover the head and would leave only a single eye visible. Beneath the cloak could hide a beautiful woman, an elderly lady, a young girl, or a woman infected with smallpox. This mystery led the young men of Lima to squander their galant verses on the veiled women, because they didn’t know if they corresponded to the individual beneath the garments.

A prohibition and a curiosity

Tradition holds it that San Toribio of Mogrovejo, archbishop of Lima during colonial times, promulgated a decree in 1583 in which the custom of the women of Lima to wear a cloak over the face, then considered normal, was to be henceforth prohibited. This prohibition was confirmed by King Felipe II and it was declared that whomever was found guilty must pay a fine of 3 thousand maravedies.

What was the reason for this prohibition? If we read the previous phrases carefully, we will see that whomever was “found guilty” would pay a fine which in those days was not possible for anyone to pay. That is to say, the fact that the cloak covers the woman’s face in its entirety could faciliate the propagation of homosexuality and transvestism, which was considered a sin worthy of the Inquisition, at least according to the priests.

Blogalaxia Tags: Peru, History, Religion, Beauty, Covered Woman of Lima, Cloak, Smock

While all of these processions are going on with the countless decorated carts, the people entertain themselves in a big party. The music and the dances are accompanied by typical games involving water, streamers, perforated paper, and talc, among many other elements. It all depends only on the creativity of each person.

What is highlighted the most during this celebration is the creativity of the participants to create the lyrics to the improvised songs. Among these creations we find the matarinas, bawdy verses which lovers sing to their women. One of the most awaited activities is the competition between the five neighborhoods of Cajamarca, in which each one presents the best of their musical repertoires.

Among the typical products of the region are: wine from Cascas, hydrangeas from Chugur, custard apples from Cunish, guitars from Namore, limes and oranges from Coyna, healers from Corisogorna, and the unparalleled sombreros from Celendin and Asuncion, which are presented during the festival. Each one of these products is a small sample of the tradition and culture of the area.

The arrival of the Ño Carnavalón is a very famous part of this celebration. It is nothing other than the representation of the spirit of the carnival. The doll, accompanied by a happy and entertaining crowd as well as their songs and dances, is paraded through the streets of the city amidst an atmosphere of joy at the beginning of the carnival. According to tradition, during this celebration, Ño carnavalón ends the festivity by being burned, veiled, and buried by the villagers.

This celebration is full of the culture and tradition of the customs of Cajamarca, as stated so well by Jose María Arguedas, a recognized Peruvian author who made great contributions to indigenous literature: “It is the greatest festival of the Peruvian Indians (…) and their music is the most beautiful of all Peruvian folklore (…)”

Each of the different festivities of the carnival reflect the mix of cultures and above all the cordiality, creativity, and happiness that the Peruvians put into the celebrations in order to celebrate the carnivals to the fullest.

Blogalaxia Tags: Peru, Cajamarca, Carnival, Party, Tourism

If it is that we have visited the ruins of the Señor of Sipán, we have been witnesses to the great quality in the jewelry finishings that covered one of the largest dignitaries of Pre-Inca Peru, specifically of the Mochica culture. 

Being an old civilization, the inhabitants of the valley of Molche developed in various fields of craft, emphasizing mainly in the handling of metals, especially copper and gold: their more important resources. 

From the handling of gold and of copper, they managed to discover the first process of covering a metal by another in the history of humanity, process that was discovered in Europe seven centuries later.  The working mochicas learned to melt gold on metals and covered the copper with it, dominating to the perfection its alloy.  Due to the abundance of these metals, they were reserved for the ornament of the priests and of the armies. 

The Mochicas knew very well the physical properties and chemistry of these elements, which served them to develop diverse techniques of extraction and natural processing utilizing elements as salt, coal and antioxidants.

Aesthetics

The moches jewels are a lot more sculptural than its ancestors and they are distinguished by its hammered and embossed qualities.  They utilized traditional elements of their iconography, portraying especially their Gods and tributes to the dead persons. 

Among its typical objects can be found the popular masks of the deceased, which possess engravings that try to resemble the human face embedded of precious stones as the turquoise.  Likewise, due to the great importance of the warriors, earflaps were manufactured to distinguish them from the rest.  On the other hand, they were the first American civilization in utilizing the metals by way of armors, which served of a lot to expand their borders toward the sea.

The Señor of Sipán

The major exponent of its art is found in the Museum of the Señor of Sipán, one of the few tombs that were rescued by the archaeologists dedicated to study this old civilization. In it we can find the fine decorative details that had the large señores at the moment of their death and how the art of metal alloy was totally dominated by this preinca culture.

Blogalaxia Tags: Tourism, Lambayeque, Mochica Culture, Gold, Peru

In this district the festival of grape is celebrated since 19 years ago, and in reality is the improved version of the classical festival of the grape harvest, phase of crop and harvesting of prior grapes, to which has been incorporated the main tourist attraction: boating.  The festivity is carried out during the third week of March, date which takes advantage of the maximum flow volume of the Cañete river, ideal to carry out the so famous adventure sport.

Among the activities that are celebrated the musical festival is carried out as the inauguration to the celebration, followed by tourist walks through the tourist centers and the old streets of Lunahuaná.  Accompanied to this is found the execution of the sports of adventure, whether in the river with boating, or in the mountain practicing cycling.  Another one of the attractions of the celebration is a contest that is carried out, in which the largest broken bunch of grapes of the world is chosen.

Among the most representative tourist places are found:  The Archaeological Complex of Incahuasi, Plaza de Armas, Iglesia Matriz Santiago Apóstol of Lunahuaná, Viewpoint of Lunahuaná, Haunted House, Suspension Bridge of Catapalla and the the wine cellars vitivinícolas.  All and each one of them represent in part the history not only of the city of Lunahuaná, but of the entire Peru.  The festivity along with a journey by these centers will be an unforgettable experience for you and the people that accompany you.

Blogalaxia Tags: Peru, Grapes, Wine, Boating, Tourism, Cycling, Lunahuana

The principal characteristics of these artifacts which are their cream and red colors are severely eye catching.  The artists of these sculptures used full range of colors and contributed their own carving style:  globular bodied creations with flat bases, and stirrup-like handles.

How Did They Make Them?
In all likelihood, they used were moldings of the figures. Mochican artisans were expert ceramic sculptors, imprinting in them an aesthetic quality uncontested by another civilization until the arrival of the Spanish. Aside from being offerings to the dead, many artists portrayed daily life in their ceramics.
Each sculpture was prepared in a special manner and created from scratch. However, they used molds for large-scale production. We can tell from decoration that there were clearly two types of sculpture. One intended for religious ceremonies which were sculpted to extreme detail. The other was more for everyday purposes with little decoration.

The Style
As aforementioned, theses sculptures were two toned. Despite having established a standard style, there were various other styles to the aesthetics of the ceramics which encompass bottles, pots and cups. All of these artifacts are representations of masculine and feminine personas. The designs were made using flat colors and the carved characters were drawn in profile.
The decor did solely concentrate on anthropomorphic themes, but it also accounted for the representation of biodiversity, everyday activities, technology, rituals and sexuality. The designs are complemented with geometrically perfect signs.

Two Types of Ceramics:

• The Protrait: This Mochican man’s face was painted by artists. They tried to be as realistic as possible. Thanks to the details in the man’s face found in the eyes, mouth and cheeks, we can tell that the artists wanted to establish a specific feel or emotion in the sculpture. Unlike other cultures at the time, women had a special place in ceramic sculpture. The sculpture represents his masculinity as well as his maternal essence.

• The Erotics: The representation of Mochican sexuality was also present in these sculptures. The Mochicans had no taboos when it came to privacy and were therefore free to portray the male and female genitalia within a cultural context. Through the use of disproportion, the Mochicans magnified human genitals to accentuate the representation of sexuality. In their culture, sexuality applies to nature and is not bound to humans. For that reason, they believed that reproduction was an extension of the divine. And nnd neither humans nor animals could be outside of it.

Blogalaxia Tags: Tourism, Lambayeque, Culture, Mochica, Portrait Ceramics, Erotic Ceramics, Peru

Tracing back to innumerable years, textiles have played a very important part in the Andean society, due to the intense amount of manual labor it took to produce each one of the pieces. The process was so extensive that it was estimated to take an amount of 7 kilometers (7,655 yards approximately) worth of different colored threads to complete one tunic.  Because of this, in its time, one article of clothing could have been worth more than it’s equivalent in gold and silver, as each type of clothing was also an indication of social status to which a person belonged to. It’s for this reason, that in the Incan Empire the best form of tribute- the most prized – was to be presented with a textile article.

There also exist, a type of sacred tunic which were especially made for important people, figures of the society, which had passed away. These individuals would be buried in their special tunics so that they’d be dressed in finery once they reached the Other World. This custom was practiced in the Paracas culture, whose settlers participated in this ritual for the dead. Due to the climate in these coastal desert areas, many of the mummified bodies have managed to stay preserved over time, in near to perfect condition. With the preserved mummies, the tunics and mantles they were buried with have also kept their attributes, so that now we have several examples of these wonderful pieces, without having lost any of their color and texture.

How they are Made

The Pre-Incan man of Peru was astute and had a  well developed sense in the areas of intellect and technology, which allowed him to create sophisticated tools for the time- but with an incredible simplicity- that were then used to make these types of textiles. One piece of art could incorporate a number of techniques,  created by innovative use of the available resources of the time.

The themes that occur most frequently in the tapestries found with the Paracas funeral bundles, revealed that the figures woven into the mantles were more symbols than real representations of reality. The artist would would put painstaking effort to portray things in a spiritual or intellectual way, whereby a depiction of a bird was the symbol for royalty and the anthropomorphic drawings represented the union between man and nature.

Significance

These ancient woven textiles are surprisingly complex in their designs. Each depiction is singly unique and is never duplicated in any other area within the piece. The artist will create small variations of the form and color in each one of the images in the tapestry, which gives it a impressive visual richness when looking at the amount of fine detail in each of these. From afar it may look like the tapestries have a geometric form to them, but once you take a closer look, you realize that the images have a fluid movement about them, full of curving lines and with certainty one can say that this technique definitely takes a considerable amount of time to produce.

The Antique Textile Technique in  Modern Times

The tradition of the Peruvian textile industry came about around 1400BC and was perfected throughout the periods of time when the Huari and Paracas cultures were in existence and extending until reaching the colonial period, where the Peruvian techniques began to fuse with the European way of  threading and where the concepts also became a bit more abstract. In the weavings of the Peruvian colonial period, you can note the huge influence that the Huari culture had in the process, by noticing the finishing of the pieces which tended to be very complex. The woven pieces that seem minimalist in style, can be attributed to the Incan Empire, which around the 18^th century (1700’s) formed a fusion of style with that of the European, and thereby switching between a linear form to a rounded or circular form.

Imágenes: Fotos de Culturas, Portal Inca, Pomalaza

Blogalaxia Tags: Weaving Textiles Ancient Peru Huari Nazca Weaving techniques Colonial Peru Photos Tourism

One of the main characteristics of the villages in the south of Peru is the great fervor that they profess for the Catholic religion.  In each village, no matter how small, one can find large churches adorned with gold and magnificent paintings that make up part of the history and fervor of each of its inhabitants.

In the city of Arequipa, the highlight is the Santa Catalina Monastery, constructed up to 1580 in honor of Saint Catalina of Siena, in order to shelter the daughters of the noblest families of the city.  It was an absolutely cloistered convent until 1970 when the nuns decided to live in the community and leave its cloisters to be visited by tourists.

The Santa Catalina convent is a small citadel constructed of mud and ashlar with magnificent paintings al fresco that occupy a 20 thousand square meter area and is divided into four neighborhoods, trying to emulate the Arequipan urban distribution of the first years of the Colony.

History

During Viceroy’s, Francisco de Toledo’s, visit, he who pacified the indigenous rebellions, the construction of a convent of nuns dedicated exclusively to the cult of the Catholic religion was approved near the center of the city.  The construction was carried out quickly and in 1579 it was inaugurated.

The first women that enrolled as novitiates to the convent were of Creole or Mestizo origins or the daughters of the curacas (magistrates) of the most important villages of the Chili River.  However, in 1582, a large earthquake destroyed a great part of the monastery.  In spite of the town’s petitions, the monastery remained cloistered and the nuns stayed in charge of its reconstruction throughout the years.

Recently, during the Republican era, Spanish nuns enrolled in the convent so that in 1970 the Great Reformation occurs and the nuns give up the cloister and go to live in the community.

Architecture

Ashlar, the characteristic rock of the Arequipan volcanic ground, was used.  Its architectural style is based on Spanish influence but done by Indigenous hands.  That is why, different from other public colonial constructions, one can find in Santa Catalina a fusion of Spanish and Indigenous elements creating something original.

One important characteristic is the shape of the cell doors.  Earthquakes were the cause and origin of the expansion since the families decided to build private cells for the girls enrolled at the convent, which is why a standard was established that was followed for more than 300 years.  In order to assure security, the doors thresholds was slightly higher to the level of the floor and its ceiling was considerably lower thus giving more resistance to telluric movements.

Art Gallery

When the decision was made to open the doors of the monastery and the restoration of the frescoes painted on its walls was initiated, a huge collection of religious painting from the indigenous school was found.  Approximately 400 pieces were restored and it is currently one of the most important collections of religious paintings in Latin America.

Its historic importance is great due to the fact that one may see in them a great selection of the Cuzco School of painting where both Inca and Spanish elements united to represent how the Indians lived the Catholic religion.

How to get there

The Santa Catalina Monastery is located near the Plaza de Armas by the left lane of the avenue the runs next to the Basilica of Arequipa.  The entrance fee is 30 soles and there are tour guides that speak English, German, Italian and Portuguese.

Images: Hostal El Molino, Sumaq Perú

Blogalaxia Tags:  Peru Arequipa Santa Catalina Monastery Religion Culture Photos Architecture History Tourism

The main material for the creation of the famed Peruvian textiles-alpaca fiber and pima cotton- has its own history which is important to know in order to understand why they have survived the passage of time maintaining its colors and textures.

Alpaca fiber

It is surprising to the world that, although it is one of the most exclusive textiles in the world,  it is still produced in a manual and industrious manner.  The secret of its durability is the way that the thread of the textile has been treated before weaving.  In the time of the Incas, the alpaca fiber was a social status symbol, which was also used as an element of commercial exchange.  The finest alpaca threads were reserved for Inca nobility.

The alpaca was domesticated thousands of years ago in the Peruvian Andes at more than 3 meters of altitude.  Its wool is extremely fine and soft with a great capacity for retaining heat.  It is much more durable than wool and, furthermore, much lighter.

The shearing of an alpaca is a special ritual performed by Andean cattle farmers and starts every year at the beginning of the hot season.  The first cut of wool from the alpaca is very coveted by dressmakers since it is much softer and lighter than the following cuts.  Furthermore, it reaches up to 40 grades of colors or tones that range from marble to black, passing through the grays and browns.

Pima Cotton

This type of cotton is highly valued around the world since it is considered  a luxury fiber.  It is called chamois by the Peruvians due to the fact that it feels like silk and it is shiny.  This natural shine and agreeable sensation is due to the fact of how it has been cultivated in the coastal valleys of northern Peru since they are produced trying to respect nature in order to avoid imperfections at the time of harvest.

It is easily dyed due to the fact that its natural color is a brilliant white, sometimes varying to a yellow if it is not pure.  The ancient Peruvians of the north used this fiber to make clothing in order to deal with the inclement heat since it allows the wind to pass through and it protects the skin.

Images: Animals in the news, Inia

Blogalaxia Tags: Textil Wool Paracas Huawi Nazca Weaver techniques Colonial Peru Photos Tourism

It is not unusual to see the elderly people of the cities or villages sitting in front of the fire and conversing with the youngest people present or with tourists about those tales of incredible wild beasts, magic, and enchantments that might or might not be true.

Each of those stories has a background, in which one can see how the Amazonian people see the world, and how they adapt themselves to the changes which modernity forces them to accept. With that in mind, if you happen to be traveling to the Amazon, it is important for you to know some of the most recurrent characters in their myths, since you will hear many warnings about them during your trip.

• Sachamama: Is a giant serpent that lives far into the interior of the forest and is very heavy. Although it is unable to slither, it has the ability to speak. With its voice, it attracts young people who neglect the farmland, opting instead to seek adventure, and devours them. It is the spirit of the rivers of the Amazon.

• The Pink Dolphin: Known as the ‘bufeo colorado’ by the locals. For them, this animal is an enchanted spirit that can transform itself into a “gringo” man – a word designating someone born overseas – because he likes young women. He chooses one and wins her heart, inviting to take her and all her friends. However, he will never take any, since if he does it will break the transformation spell. Through gifts, he manages to get her to fall in love with him and enchants her to the point that if she isn’t cured by a shaman, the young woman risks drowning in the deep river waters searching for the pink dolphin.

• Yacuruna: The watermen are the spirits of the aquatic animals of the forest and are often invoked during ayahuasca sessions, due to their power to grant wishes.

• Chullachaqui: Is a small spirit dressed in a red poncho, which enables people to see it walking among the farmhouses looking for someone or something. It can take the shape of any person and can draw people into the mountains, who then get lost seeking out the spirit. If a traveler gets lost in the forest, it is likely that he or she encountered Chullachaqui. When that happens, the traveler becomes one of his subjects and never returns to civilization.

Since time immemorial, in Mexico as in Peru, there exist stories of travelers who arrived from a distant land to a village which would become the capital of a very advanced civilization. One such story is the Legend of Naylamp, a very important character from the coast of Lambayeque. It is said that he taught the Mochicas the arts that would help their civilization rise to become one of the most powerful since the arrival of the Incas.

Historians have studied three different theories, based on similiarities of Moche architecture and culture with other regions of the world.

The first version concerns the story of a traveler who went all the way to Indochina from Peru, and got lost in a storm. The second concerns a possible Mayan origin – the most accepted version – and the third, that he came from the island of Puná near the Peruvian coast.

Historian José Kimmich, who studied the origin of the Chimú culture, published a study in 1917 affirming the similiarities between the northern civilization and the archaic civilization of Indochina. In addition, he suggested several linguistic, architectural, and physiological similarities between the northern Indians and the peoples of Southeast Asia. His main support is the fact that ten centuries ago, the Chinese navigated the seas and during a bout of bad weather, they could have arrived in California and followed the coastline to Peru.

However, there is no official evidence comparable the Mochico and Mayan engravings, according to the German archeologist Clement Marham. He theorizes that Naylamp arrived in Peru by way of the El  Niño current in search of refuge from some disaster that would have occurred in the Mayan Empire in those times. Naylamp brought pieces of ceramic pottery and dedicated himself to teaching the Moches the techniques for which they have become become famous. In addition, the names of some cities and people resemble the Maya and Mahua languages.

The historical legend of Lambayeque

In the year 1586, the chronicler Miguel Cabello de Balboa was the first to record an Indian legend that told of the arrival of Naylamp to the Lambayeque coast: a great man who arrived by sea with his wife Ceterni and many concubines and soldiers.

A fleet of merchants disembarked onto the beach and erected a temple they called Chot, and an idol they called Yampallec. They lived for many years in the company of the locals until the moment came to leave that world. In order to protect his divine origin, his family created the myth that Naylamp had flown into the sky, which caused the slaves to take their boats and seek him out.

Upon his disappearance, Cium, his heir, governed for many years and had twelve children. He formed a large government and when he died, he bequeathed it to his successors: Escuñain, Mascuy, Cuntipallec, Allascunti, Nofanech, Mulamuslan, Llameooll, Lapinat-cum, Acunta y Fampellec.

Each one governed the empire of their father for a brief time until the last of the brothers was tempted by a demon and attempted to relocate the empire in another place. For this, the gods punished him by causing a 30-day flood and infertile lands.

He was the last great king of Naylamp’s men, who were thereafter conquered by the Great Chimú. He declared one of his lieutenants as monarch. Of the descendants of Naylamp, none survived.

Image: Anchoveta.net

Blogalaxia Tags:Mysticism Peru Lambayeque Legends Naylamp Mochica Chimu

In the department of Ida, between the years 100 C.E. and 400 C.E., the Nazca culture developed on the Peruvian coast. The Nazca civilization was small and comprised of fishers who were descendants of the ancient Paracas of the Chincha Valley. Among the most outstanding of their arts, ceramics is the most well-known today.

The Nazca artisans stood out from the rest of the pre-Incan cultures by the way they decorated their ceramic pottery. Since, unlike the Mochica culture, they didn’t concentrate on the sculptural forms of their vases but rather on the graphics they would paint on them and on the colors of these graphics. The form of their vases and jugs was diverse, the most typical being the globular jug with two spouts and a bridge handle.

Color Techniques

Owing to their great artistic ability, the Nazcas used a great variety of colors. Their main palate consisted of 11 basic colors and 190 shades, which ranged from white to brown, yellow and violet. However, they always refused to use blue and green, because these represented the sea, the origin of the gods.

In order to coat the pigments onto their ceramics, the artisans painted the pieces before putting them in the oven. This protected the color and made it adhere completely to the piece, allowing the color to last for a much longer time.

Motives

The themes that the artists represented were related to their daily lives, including mythological elements that symbolized their worldview, transforming ordinary themes into complex designs of abstract animals. The animals, human figures, and geometric elements were emphasized.

Fear of the Empty

The richness of Nazca ceramics, which reached its peak around the year 600 C.E., is characterized by a unique aspect. The artists went through a lot of trouble to make sure that no space went undecorated, and so they would increase the size of the central figure and would repaint it across the surface of the piece. The favorite animals to use were the centipede and mythological monsters with numerous tongues.

For the Nazca, empty space represented the absence of the gods, and it is therefore believed that the excess of decoration was caused by religious reasons more than aesthetic reasons.

Images: Fotos de Culturas, Aztlan virtual, Pomalaza

Blogalaxia Tags: History Tourism Ceramics Culture Archeology Photos Handcrafts Museums

A few hours from Lima, near Pisco Bay, the famous Peruvian archeologist Julio C. Tello discovered some funereal bundles and exquisite textiles that belonged to an, until then, undiscovered culture.  They found that even though thousands of years had passed, the texture of the cloths had not deteriorated much, which is why he decided to study them.

These cloths are the vestiges of what was the Paracas Culture, a group of sovereignties that lived in these lands until 300 A.D. and who had a special cult of the dead, dividing its histories in two epochs:   Paracas Caverns and  Paracas Necropolis.

What is a funereal bundle?

The Paracas believed that the soul of the deceased  did not leave this world without its earthly objects.  Therefore, at the moment of internment, they would place the body in a wicker basket in the fetal position and they would place, near its reach, some objects as an offering to the gods.

The funereal bundle is a type of capsule where the deceased was placed in order to initiate its voyage to the other world.  They were covered by a hand-made cloth of fine design that would reach up to 20 meters in length.  Later this shawl would be covered by others that were smaller and with less detail which were vestments to protect the main shawl.

The deceased would show up with a cotton turban dyed red and adorned with gold pieces like necklaces and bracelets.  Likewise, at its side was a funereal trousseau that consisted of a fan made of feathers, a club made of stone, knives, knitting utensils and a brass plate with food for its consumption and as an offering to the gods.

Paracas Caverns

In this first stage of the Paracas culture, the mummies were placed in excavated tombs on the floor in flagons in the shape of caverns.  Inside were many funereal bundles and were covered in stones to avoid its rapid decomposition.

Paracas Necropolis

With the passage of time, the Paracas evolved and the cult of the dead changed.  Instead of digging deep tunnels on the floor, they created the first cemeteries in America:   Wari Kayan and Cabeza Larga, in which archeologists were able to distinguish many elements of a complex culture.

In them they were able to see that the mummies were grouped according to the quality of their bundles, which indicated the presence of social categories.  Likewise, the poorest bundles contained incinerated bodies, leading us to believe that the process was something very special and brought with it an economic cost to the family.  On the other hand, some mummies had passed through the process of artificial mummification through exposure to the elements, taking advantage of the region’s dry climate that favors this process.  Paracas:  travelers from life to death.

Images: Emagister, Kalipedia, Absolut Peru

Blogalaxia Tags: History, Tourism, Culture, Mysticism, Museums, Pisco, Mithology, Costumes

The town of Chulucanas is known for this style of unique pottery making. The town is located  46 kilometers (28.5 miles) southeast of Piura, where approximately 500 families live and dedicate their time to a fusion of the crafting techniques of their ancestors  with the requirements and styles of modern day to create a totally new, charming and innovative approach to the way these pieces are made.  In this  way, it has become a revered product of Peruvian national pride.

Types of Ceramics

In Chulucanas, the artisans offer a very diverse selection of ceramic hand crafted objects, which have been divided into four different types: positive, negative, smoked (negrado) and polychromatic (having various colors). The difference between each, is in the manner in which each one is fired up and the amount of time it spends in the kiln, as well as the skill and talent with which the particular artisan handles, paints and decorates the piece.

Within the region, in the village of Simbila- which is located five minutes away from Chulucanas- they still use the technique of the “paleteo.” With this technique, the finished piece comes out with a brighter sheen and better definition.  It’s a technique that has been passed on through the generations, from fathers down to their children, for many centuries. The origins of this style came from the Vicus Culture, which had been heavily influenced by the Mochica and Chimu in the time period before the Incan Empire.

The Decoration

A separate heading is needed just to be able to describe the artistic motives, the meaning, that is applied to the ceramics. Once the ceramic has been taken out of the kiln, a liquid clay is applied to cover the areas where the natural color is to be kept. The areas that are to be darkened are left as is and then the piece is put into the kiln for a second time, with the fire built up by the ashes produced by mango leaves, which produce a kind of resin that’ll be added to the pieces to give it their characteristic fine sheen. The process can be repeated a number of times depending on the color you’d want to obtain.

Due to its popularity which has managed to conquer with great success the demanding markets of the United States and Europe, they are no longer of common use in the local areas, but are now mainly an exported item. To make them more useful objects, a glass interior has been applied to them, so that they can be used to store liquids. Nowadays they can have an ever-day use or a purely decorative one.

Imágenes: Peru Inside, Nachitoo.

Tags Blogalaxia:Chulucanas Peru Tourism Piura Estetics Art

Nevertheless, the North American Hiram Bingham was considered the discoverer of the “loss city of the Inca”.  Bingham was in Cuzco studying the era of the Inca of Vilcabamba when he heard talks of the discovery of Lizárraga and arrived at the fortress on June 24, 1911.  In it, he found two families of peasants living there, who utilized the old railway platforms to cultivate.  Bingham was guided by one of the children of the families to the urban zone, that was covered by the forest.

Surprised by what he saw, Bingham negotiated a patronage from Yale University, the Peruvian government and the National Geographic Society for the study of the ruins, where he dedicated to analyze its history and all the relics found in the abandoned temples.  In 1913 an article was published on Machu Picchu in the magazine National Geographic, hoarding the attention of the world scientific community.

The importance of the discovery

It fits to emphasize, once more, that Machu Picchu was never itself “lost”, but was outside of the sphere of influence of the Crown of Spain during the Virreynato of Peru.  Hiram Bingham was a key player in its enhancement on a worldwide basis, since he was the first person in recognizing the importance of its ruins, study them and divulge the finds to the scientific community.

In spite of the existing controversy between the Peruvian State and Yale University for the possession of more than 45 thousand artifacts extracted by the team of Bingham for their study and that have not been returned to the Peruvian treasury, Peru owes a lot to this University who promoted the study of the same and the creation of expositions in the most important museums.  Machu Picchu, then, is the jewel of the ruins of what was the Inca Empire by their state of conservation, which was worth to be considered as one of the 7 New Wonders of the World.

Images: Gua30, Pasaporte Blog

Tags Blogalaxia: Machu Picchu History Photos Peru Tourism Cuzco Incan Empire Hiram Bingham