Friday, December 2, 2016

Nazca Lines: A place of amazing history and mystery



11:41. Paracas, Dec. 1. Motivations that lure visitors to Peru’s Ica region may be many — from its natural landscapes to its gastronomic offer — but its history and archaeological sites remain the top reasons to arrive in this coastal location. And what better way to immerse into Ica’s legacy than by visiting the enigmatic Nazca lines.

Peru’s emblematic Nazca lines provide a highly attractive destination for Annual Executives Conference (CADE 2016) attendees, who can visit the attraction and learn about this major remnant of ancient Peruvian culture.

The geoglyphs are large, detailed designs depicting geometric and zoomorphic figures covering an area 50 km long and 15 km wide. These magnificent archaeological site can be found between km 419-465 on Panamericana Sur highway.

First reports on these intricate patterns were made by Peruvian archaeologist Toribio Mejia Xespe in 1927. Later, in 1939, U.S. scientist Paul Kosok carried out a number of investigations on the lines as well.


However, it wasn’t until 1946 that more thorough research works emerged, when German researcher Maria Reiche became interested in the geoglyphs. She would dedicate the rest of her life to their study and preservation. 

Various theories have been put forth to explain the origin and use of the lines, and some researchers affirm they date from 550 A.D. 

As for their purpose, the Lady of Nazca interpreted them as a gigantic solar and lunar calendar used by ancient Peruvian astronomers. 

Two traits characterize these markings: their massive size and shallow depth, which ranges from 15 to 30 cm. 

Over thirty of these drawings have been reported to date, including marine creatures, land animals, as well as geometric and anthropomorphic shapes.


The largest geoglyphs are a bird of nearly 300 m, a lizard (180 m), a pelican (135 m), a condor (135 m), a monkey (135 m) and a spider (42 m).

The arid Nazca plains also play canvas to a whale, two llamas and various birds: a heron, a crane, a pelican, a seagull, a parrot and the symbolic hummingbird.

Tourism

There are two alternatives to see these enigmatic figures: from the ground and from the air.

Visitors can climb ‘El Mirador’ (observation tower) built overlooking the archaeological site to appreciate two of the famous lines, the hands and the tree, as well as many other figures carved into the desert.

The other option is flying over the geoglyphs. In this sense, Nazca’s Maria Reiche Airport offers 30-minute tours to take in the view from above and marvel at the main figures.

The Nazca lines and geoglyphs were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on December 17, 1994.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Lima-Jaen daily flight to boost tourism in Northern Macro Region


16:59. Lima, Sep. 30. Tourist attractions in the Northern Macro Region of Peru, mainly those of Amazonas region, will experience a strong growth thanks to a Lima-Jaen direct flight that LATAM airlines will operate starting today, Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Eduardo Ferreyros informed.

The airline expects to fly more than 100,000 passengers a year between the two destinations. This way the new route will diversify the tourist experience in Peru.

“This will also improve the Alto Utcubamba tourist circuit with a reduced travel time to Chachapoyas —starting point to visit sites like Gocta Falls, Kuelap Archaeological Complex, Sarcophagi of Karajia, Revash's mausoleums and Leymebamba district,” he indicated.

The good news adds up to the soon-to-be-opened Kuelap cable-car system in Chachapoyas.

Cable cars will run for 4km up to the said site and take 20 minutes. The work has been undertaken by Mincetur since 2015.

The Jaen daily flight will be the 17th destination added by LATAM Airlines, which celebrates its 17th anniversary of Peru service this year.



Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Chan Chan, Sun city



Freedom. The ruins of Chan Chan lie in the Moche Valley, midway between Huanchaco and Trujillo, in the department of La Libertad and covers an area of about 20 square kilometers. It is an archaeological complex formed by 9 citadels or small walled cities belonging to the Chimu culture. It is considered as the city of the world's largest mud.

It is estimated that in Chan Chan, which means "Sun Sun" because many theories say the city endured a great sun exposure, lived from 20 to 30,000 inhabitants and various kinds of architecture can be seen. Visit and follow it with accredited guide tourists to discover the remains of an ancient Peruvian culture, and marvel at the quality of the architecture of the Chimu.

Chan Chan was the capital of the Chimu kingdom, originally covered more than 20 km2 from near the port of Huanchaco to Cerro Campana. Archaeologists estimate that housed more than 100 thousand people.

In its structure plazas, housing, warehouses, workshops, streets, walls and pyramidal temples. Its enormous walls are profusely decorated with geometric figures, stylized zoomorphic and mythological beings. The tour of the archaeological site is complemented by a visit to the museum.

Source: RPP.


Visit Chan Chan!

Friday, April 22, 2016

Archaeologists find cemetery pre - Inca in district of Huanchaco




The remains were found on April 18, though excavations began on 11th September in the district of Huanchaco, Trujillo province in La Libertad. The works are part of Huanchaco Archaeological Program, which is sponsored by Peru Innovate Program, the Ministry of Production and the Research of the National University of Trujillo (UNT).

The human remains belonging to the Inca and Chimu cultures, between 500 and 1000 years old, were found in what would be a pre Inca cemetery, in an area of 40 square meters, a few meters from the side of the Virgin church Candelaria del Socorro, a tourist area of the traditional spa. Each found tomb consists of bones, pottery, necklaces and dunks.

Archaeologist Carlos Osores Mendives said eight complete individuals and other loose debris individuals were found. "In total we could it speak eight intact tombs and loose bones of more than a dozen people possibly" he said.

After the discovery of the pieces, these will move into UNT lab for analysis and determine their cultural affiliation and identification of individuals. Still they work in the area archaeologists digging and it is possible find more graves and individuals.

Source: Portal de Turismo. 

Visit Trujillo:

Thursday, April 21, 2016

National Museum of Archaeology of Peru will be built in Lurin


National Museum of Archaeology of Peru (MUNA) will be the largest in the country and its rooms showcase the immense historical and cultural center of one of the cradles of world civilization legacy. That will come true in a sector of the archaeological site Pachacamac (Lurin, Lima), to display in the same space more than 500,000 pieces of historical and cultural value of ancient Peru, and present.
MUNA is the acronym for the future National Museum of Archaeology of Peru, the colossus of five levels to be erected at kilometer 31 of the Panamericana Sur. In the MUNA the archaeological heritage of the country will be divided into two main sectors: past and present. In its halls evidence of all cultures and civilizations that developed in the current Peruvian territory before the arrival of the Spaniards, including the 100 tombs found around the museum are displayed in Lima.
Source: La Republica.

Visit Lima.

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Ninety archaeological sites identified in Arequipa


An important finding in Arequipa. A total of 90 archaeological sites were identified in the district of Ayo province of Castilla, during a field inspection carried out in the last two months of 2015, with the purpose of verifying the cultural and tourism potential that exists in this locality.

In the archaeological inspection platforms identified in 70%, housing sectors by 20% and funerary complexes by 10%. The discovery of walls, towers, platforms and irrigation canals of various dimensions was reported.

Orthogonal architectural structures (rooms and courtyards) and circular plants (chullpas), built with volcanic stone and mud mortar were also found.

In the vast majority of sites fragments of ceramic household and remains a lesser amount of ceramic decorations ceremonial use in high and low relief, in which they have used colors like red, green and white were located; possibly belonging to the Huari culture (600 A.D.-100 A.D.) which they were established in Arequipa and southern Peru.

Source: Peru 21.

Visit Arequipa!


Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Learn the 5 most popular museums in Peru



For those who want to dive into the history of this country and Latin America, TripAdvisor established a list of the most prominent museums according to its users.
Peru is an ideal destination for cultural tourism, for all its Inca past, how many remains have been preserved and its more recent history, in which highlight various characters.
For those who want to dive into the history of this country and Latin America, the major travel site, TripAdvisor, created a list of the most popular museums in Peru according to its users.
1. Larco Museum, Lima.
2. Royal Tombs of the Lord of Sipan, Chiclayo.
3. Cao Museum, Trujillo.
4. Mate Mario Testino Museum, Lima.
5. National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History, Lima.

Source: America Economía.