Chan Chan's working woman is praised by the UNESCO

The person in charge to take care of the archaeological ruins of Chan Chan, Maria Mendoza, was considered a heroine by the UNESCO, given its ongoing efforts to protect this monument heritage.

Maria Mercedes and other 80 women works at Chan Chan, monitoring the damages left by the passage of time and the weather at the monument. Each one loads in a wheelbarrow, buckets of mud on a detailed work that is repeated every day.

With an inexhaustible patience, Maria Mercedes divides her time: in the morning she takes care of this architectural complex, and in the evening turns into a great housewife.

She grew up next to her mother, who guided her steps and taught her to love the history and traditions of her homeland, to respect the legacy of the ancient Peruvians. Education that puts in practice until today.

The German journalists Ruth Wolter and Astrid Piethan travelled from Germany to Chan Chan as part of the project "Heroes of the Heritage" promoted by the UNESCO in Germany, exclusively to interview María.

In the German city of Bonn, the headquarters of the UNESCO, an exhibition will be held soon with all the protagonists worldwide, and Maria Mercedes is the only representative of all Latin America.

Learn more of the north of Peru and its architectural riches, on the following link: Moche Culture.

Archaeological site was found in Zaña precedent of the Mochicas

An archaeological finding about "Mata Indio" hill makes archeologists to think that the Archaeological Site in Zaña, would be the precedent of the Moche Sanctuaries. In this site there has been found a small temple, which according to Walter Alva respectable team, has ancestry Moche.

In April of this year began the excavation work in the area, with the purpose of knowing mochicas villages and the origins of this culture. One thinks that these small temples could be the precedents of the big sanctuaries or administrative centers in Moche's final stage.

In the surroundings of these enclosures they have found cemeteries that have been stripped throughout the years. In the interior of the constructions have been found a series of occupations, in the center the Early Mochica, then Chimú and Lambayeque, respectively.

Inside of the enclosure  they have found fragments of Mochica ceramics and in the top part four funeral contexts belonging to the Lambayeque Culture.

The lowest platforms were painted by colors white and yellow, that would have been the most ancient building of this place and corresponded to the Mochica period.

Weather has affected these constructions, mainly because for the intense  rains, for which it was extended and remodeled in different times by the former Peruvians. The way to cross the desert towards the valleys of the south, are appellants.

The work of excavation continues in Chancay's Valley, in the monumental site known as " The Victory", located between the districts of Pomalca and Tumán, which also tracks of the Mochica culture has been found.

If you want to visit Zaña, this is located half hour from Chiclayo's city. Other attraction is the Museum Afro- Peruvian from Zaña, which speaks of the African Diaspora and the instruments and the contribution of the Afro- Peruvian are kept in force.

Discover the north of Peru, with Inkanatura Travel:

- Tour: Treasures of Northem Kingdoms

Source: Andina

Approximately 50 thousand tourists visit the Chiclayo Municipal Palace

In 2010 the Municipal Palace of Chiclayo was remodeled, since then it has become the only attraction in the city center. The visitors' highest point was given in April, when schools, colleges and universities entered to 14 showrooms, adding up more than 3 thousand visitors in one day.

"If we speak about the Historical Center,  is the only attraction that we have in Chiclayo, since the renovation of the place oriented to a cultural and artistic use, and is very gratifying to know that in this place the photographic and pictorial samples displayed have captivated visitors. " said the Head of the Documentation Center of Historical Memory, Jorge Vasquez Orrego.

So far the museum has received 50 thousand visits. The 15 % of the visitors comes from abroad: Holland, Belgium, Germany, Brazil, Chile, between other countries of the orb. Those people are very satisfied with the importance and the remodeling of this architectural work.

In the halls can be observed graphics of the Chiclayo Colonial, photos of the reconstruction of the palace, as well as art exhibitions of  Mórrope and Tucume of local, regional and national artists.

Learn more of the north of Peru with the following tours:

• Moche Route Tour 3D/2N : Chiclayo and Trujillo
• Archaeology and Nature Tour 4D/3N: Trujillo, Chaparri and Chiclayo

Peru: Entrepreneurs to boost Lambayeque tourism

Entrepreneurs of the Chamber of Commerce and Production of the Lambayeque region, through its institutional guild, will promote the new touristic routes of the Lambayeque region. 

The move intends to increase the amount of visitors, it was informed.

According to Nino Onofre, representative of the Tourism guild attached to the Chamber of Commerce, a “contribution of the private sector” will seek to position Lambayeque as one of the most important tourism destinations in the world.

Among its attractions are: The Santuario Bosque de Poma, Chotuna and the Pimentel Beaches.

Travel to Moche Route with this tour: Moche Route Tour 3D/2N : Chiclayo and Trujillo

Source: Andina

Easter in Moche was declared Cultural Heritage

The Holy Week in Moche's district, Trujillo, has been distinguished as National Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture of Peru, thanks to its importance as a religious celebration and the great faith of the people.

The characteristics that this nomination highlights, are the traditional elements of the local culture, which shape the identity of the population and an important tradition of rituality.

The festivity lasts for 10 days, begins on Holy Friday and ends on Easter Sunday. During these days people practice rituals of concentration and meditation.

Another important aspect of the celebration is to consume the traditional Theologian Soup, a festive soup widely consumed by people of the northern region, which consists of chicken broth and beef with dipped bread, potato, milk and cheese.

Thanks to the Moche population this tradition is still practicing and it renews every year.

Enjoy the Moche route with the following tour:

-MocheRoute Tour 3D/2N : Chiclayo and Trujillo

Moche elites linked to copper industry lived on high, experts say

Archaeologists working at the Huaca Colorada site in northern Peru have found "odd" signs of life in a half-excavated pyramid of the Moche culture.

"Often these pyramidal mounds were built as mortuaries more than anything else," said excavation co-leader Edward Swenson, according to a National Geographic article published Thursday.

"In most instances [a pyramid] is not where people live, it is not where they were cooking their food," the University of Toronto archaeologist added.

But the newly exposed 1,400-year-old flat-topped pyramid supported residences for up to a couple dozen elites, who oversaw and perhaps took part in copper production at the site, evidence suggests.

The pre-Inca pyramid dwellers likely presided over important rituals, feasted on roasted llama and guinea pig, and drank corn beer, according to archaeologists working at the site.

Among the signs of occupation are at least 19 adobe stands where large vessels of water and corn beer were stored, as well as scattered llama, dog, guinea pig, and fish bones and traces of coca leaves and red peppers.

"There's a far more robust domestic occupation than what we would have expected," said expedition co-leader John Warner, an archaeologist with the University of Kentucky.

More information:

• Tours to Route Moche