Pisaq, Peru
Preserved Pisaq
Overlooking the archaeological site of Pisaq, bathed in clouds, at 9:45am…
…three minutes later…the weather changes on a dime!
One of the special things about this site is the tombs carved into the limestone cliffs. It is the largest Inca cemetery in Peru, boasting some 3,500 tombs where the dressed up mummified dead were placed in fetal positions in the little tombs. These mummies were considered to be a link between the living and the gods and were often consulted on important issues. Some were even taken out to participate in ceremonies and offered food as though they were living beings. Sadly, the Spanish conquistadors realized the anti-colonial power these mummies held and confiscated them in 1559 to push the conversion of the Inca descendants to Christianity. Tomb raiders then came searching for treasure but came away empty-handed; the tombs had been for regular people, not the elite.
Likely original, stone stairs took us up and down the mountainside. There were no wheeled vehicles or iron tools to all the stone steps we walked on would have been hand carried up the mountain and shaped with harder stone tools.
Much appreciated, a few sets of modern wooden stairs have since been built to keep us safe from slipping down the mountain. There are many layers to Pisaq and from up here we overlook the agricultural component of the site: some of the 500 terraces. Corn was grown on the lower terraces, potatoes in the middle, and quinoa on the high terraces. The Inca not only figured out which crops grew best where, they were masters at irrigation. They ran aqueducts and channels carved into the rock to bring the water across cliff faces, through the terraces and into the religious site. Below the terraces is the modern town of Pisaq.
Then a little farther along is shorter, 3m tunnel with a bit more breathing room.
The last bit of the trail leading across some of the terraces to the religious part of the site. Here it comes!
The Intihuatana ceremonial area, the spiritual core of Pisaq. The D-shaped building at the centre is the Temple of the Sun. It was reserved only for the priests and elite, which I think is still the case as the entrance was roped off for ordinary people like us. If you zoom in on this picture, you can see a very special rock taking up much of the space inside the temple: the Intihuatana stone itself! This carved solar clock was cut directly into the living rock of the promontory and was oriented to align perfectly with the sun on the summer solstice. The structures closest to the Temple of the Sun would have housed the priests (the perfectly hewn stone was reserved for the temples, the elite and priests). Other buildings would have been ceremonial preparation areas to store sacred objects and ritual items. And further away with not-so-perfectly hewn stone would have been more storage for religious purposes.
The exterior of the Temple of the Sun. You can see how perfectly hewn the stone is. And it is built on top of the natural rock of the mountain, which inside would have then been carved into the Intihuatana stone (the solar clock).
Overlooking the modern farms from between buildings in the Intihuatana neighbourhood.
Oh hello!…I think we’ve trespassed into a priest’s house.
Our fabulous group overlooking the Intihuatana area from the other side.
Time to head down the other side, passing yet more terraces.
Well what have we here…a little trail-side shopping opportunity!
I actually NEEDED a belt. This lovely artisan vendor helped me style it.
…and so did Peta!
This is not a busy place so perhaps two belt sales was enough for up here and our vendor packed up her wares in a blanket, tied it on her back, and headed off down the mountain.
We headed next to have lunch in the village house in Viacha. After lunch, I looked out and noticed the most remarkable rainbow laid out across the valley floor. Perhaps this is part of what makes it sacred.
Our host giving Adam some tips on how to turn the soil. He did a pretty good job so now he has another job to add to his home maintenance list in Vancouver!
Our afternoon hike from Viacha down to the modern town of Pisaq, and yet more Inca ruins climbing up the side of a small mountain behind us. The Inca built in the most unlikely places for all the right reason. Defence and agriculture!
And another rainbow painted by Mammapacha (Mother Nature) on the side of a mountain.
We did a little detour off the trail when we spied something colourful through the trees. It was a very recently placed rose petal offering in a little clearing. Possibly for a wedding?
Before heading to the lodge for dinner, we passed this roadside restaurant specializing in Cuy al Palo aka Guinea Pig on a Stick. Dinner was waiting for us at the lodge so it would have been rude to stop for a snack before dinner.