Evidence for ancient bone surgery found at Kuelap Fortress

A study by the University of Florida published in the International Journal of Paleopathology claims to have discovered the first ever evidence for ancient bone surgery found in Peru.

Dr. J Maria Toyne details that two skeletons (dated 800-1535 CE) from the pre-Colombian site of Kuelap demonstrate pathology similar to trepanation. Trepanation is the surgical practice of drilling holes into bones and is the oldest example of surgical intervention.

The two moderately healthy male skeletons, one an adolescent and the other an adult of 30-34 years of age, were found to have drilled holes in the bones of their legs.

The placement and depth suggest to the bioarchaeologists that the holes are not random but were perhaps done to relieve pressure from a physical injury and or severe infection. The holes would have been administered to cure build-up of fluid in the leg.

The New York Times aconseja visitar Perú este año

La revista estadounidense New York Times, ha publicado el informe “52 lugares para visitar en 2015”. En la lista figura la costa norte del Perú, con sus atractivos turísticos, como el balneario de Huanchaco, la ciudad de Trujillo, el puerto de Pimentel, Lambayeque o Punta Sal.  Además recomienda una serie de hoteles para garantizar una maravillosa estadía a los turistas.

"El turismo en el Perú se expande más allá del obligado viaje al Cusco", menciona la revista del influyente diario. Es así que recomienda visitar y conocer los sitios arqueológicos del lugar " la ciudad de adobe de Chan Chan y las pirámides Moche, Sipán y El Brujo".

Firman concesión del Proyecto Telecabinas Kuélap de Amazonas

Kuélap es una construcción arqueológica de la cultura Chachapoyas, conocida por sus grandes muros de piedra que se asemejan  a una fortaleza. Para llegar a esta zona es necesario hacer una larga caminata a través de la selva y los valles que la circundan, en el departamento de Amazonas. Es por ello que se autorizó la construcción de un teleférico que facilite a los turistas el acceso a la zona arqueológica.

El proyecto autorizado por el Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo (Mincetur), ha sido otorgado a la empresa Telecabinas Kuélap S.A., conformada por la empresa francesa Pomagalski S.A.S. y la peruana Ingenieros Civiles y Contratistas Generales S.A., que construirán lo que se ha llamado Sistema de Telecabinas Kuelap, con una inversión de US$ 17´893,191.

Dia Mundial de la Diversidad Cultural

El Día Mundial de la Diversidad Cultural para el Diálogo y el Desarrollo brinda la oportunidad de valorar estos principios y aprender a convivir de una mejor manera. La campaña de este año, según Unesco, quiere animar a la gente y a las organizaciones a tomar medidas concretas para apoyar la diversidad cultural, con el objetivo de aumentar la conciencia mundial sobre la importancia de estos principios que contribuirían a crear sociedades más tolerantes, solidarias. Además, tiene el propósito de construir una comunidad de individuos comprometidos con el apoyo a la diversidad a través de gestos verdaderos y cotidianos. Y, por último, combatir la polarización y los estereotipos para mejorar el entendimiento y la cooperación entre la gente de diferentes culturas.

Peru's Chachapoyas chosen as top 50 ‘tours of a lifetime’ by National Geographic

Kuelap Fortress

Chachapoyas has been chosen as one of National Geographic Traveler magazine’s seventh annual “50 tours of a Lifetime”.

The magazine highlighted the archaeological treasures of the Chachapoya, “who built the massive complex of Kuélap around the ninth century—all at 9,800 feet above the Utcubamba Valley.”

Chachapoyas, located 2,235 meters above sea level in Peru’s northern Amazonas region, was home to the Chachapoyas culture, also called Warriors of the Clouds.

The magazine said it looked for “tours (including volunteer, adventure, family, and small-ship trips) designed for experience, immersion, sustainability, and cultural connection.”

Traveler included other destinations in Latin America, such as Brazil’s Costa Verde, Chile’s Patagonia, and Argentina’s northwest mountains, among others.

Last December the editors of National Geographic named Peru as one of 2012’s best trips in the world, and praised the local cuisine.

“Peru is blessed with incredible biodiversity—a bounty that is clearly reflected on its plates,” it said.

Travel to Chachapoyas and know its ancient wonders with this tour.

Choquequirao now offers camping areas, tourism services

The paths to the archaeological site of Choquequirao in Cusco's Santa Teresa district now have camping areas and tourism services for a better visitor experience. 

The regional government said that the works were carried out through the Copesco plan in response to increasing tourist visits to the area. The local population manages these places directly according to the agreement signed between the Copesco plan, the regional government of Cusco, the town of Santa Teresa and communities.

Choquequirao consists of nine groups of buildings of stone terraces, rooms and irrigation systems, distributed around a town square. It could be one of the lost cities in the valley of Vilcabamba, where the Incas took refuge in 1536. 

More info about:

• Choquequirao Tours

Huaca de la Luna: Peru's most beautiful ruin?

Peru’s most beautiful ruins are not located at Machu Picchu. The Inca construction there is an example of masterful engineering, and has a jaw dropping location, but, in the end, the ruins themselves are a series of very well-built gray walls. I know, it’s not the Incas’ fault that their decorative elements were spirited away by dashing archaeologists, but that doesn’t change the experience for visitors today.

If you want to see the height of ancient, artistic creativity, you’ll have to head to an archaeological site on the other end of the country: the Huaca de la Luna. The site receives just 300 visitors per day, not because it is hard to get to (it is only about fifteen minutes by taxi from the center of Trujillo, Peru’s third-largest city), but because it has never been mythologized or marketed, which is a shame.