Travel to Peru: Archaeology in Lima

Machu Picchu and the Lord of Sipán are well-known aspects of Peru’s rich archeological heritage. But did you know that Lima, Peru’s capital city where virtually all international travelers touch down on their way to the Incan Imperial capital of Cusco, was also a principal center of pre-Hispanic culture? Lima contains more than 30 recognized archeological sites, and the areas surrounding Lima contain a similar number. Innumerable other archaeological sites disappeared during the 20th century urbanization of Lima.

When you travel to Peru, interested in its archaeology, a great place to start is the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History, located in the colorful Plaza Bolivar in the district of Pueblo Libre. It will orient you to the wealth of Peru’s fascinating archeological past, while artfully displaying the variety of its skillfully crafted jewelry, ceramics and textiles. Just outside the museum, you can also enjoy some of Lima’s finest colonial architecture and any one of a number of delightful local restaurants.
Perhaps the most rewarding archaeological site in Lima is the Huaca Pucllana, conveniently located in the district of Miraflores – home to many of Lima’s best hotels and restaurants – see www.andeanodyssey.com. This site was an important ceremonial and administrative centre of the Lima Culture, built between 4th and 6th centuries A.D. with millions of mud bricks over an expanse of 15 hectares. A site museum contains ceramics and other artifacts; entrance is free and guides are available. Open daily, except Tuesday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. At the entrance to the site is one of Lima’s finest restaurants, appropriately called the Restaurante Huaca Pucllana. Splendid lighting offers a spectacular view of the huaca in the evening. For the best view, ask for a table on the outdoor patio.
In nearby San Isidro lies the Huaca Huallamarca (named Pan de Azúcar by the Spanish). It is the oldest and least understood of the sites mentioned here. It was found as an amorphous pile of cobblestone-shaped adobes (unlike materials at any other site in Lima, but similar to pre-Incan sites elsewhere on the Peruvian coast) and was recently constructed into a pyramid that the visitor can climb to a height above the surrounding treetops. There is also a site museum. Open daily, except Mondays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On the way to the airport from Miraflores and San Isidro, in the district of San Miguel, an expansive complex of huacas is the remains of a major ceremonial center built by the Maranga Culture between the 8th and 13th centuries A.D. This important archaeological site, constructed of mud-covered walls that are not adobe, can be viewed from inside the Parque de las Leyendas Zoo, which is located on the archaeological site. Unfortunately, the huacas can be viewed only through fences on the perimeter of the zoo, but there is an exhibit inside the zoo that offers the visitor information about the huacas and a few artifacts discovered during their excavation in the 1970s. The zoo is open every day, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Be aware that weekends and holidays can be very crowded.
Thirty kilometers south of Lima on the Pan-American Highway is the “king” of Lima’s archaeological sites – Pachacámac. This was a pre-Inca and Inca group of temples, plazas and urban zones that was continuously inhabited from the 4th century A.D. (first by people of the Lima culture, followed by the Wari, and finally, the Incas) until 1533. At the time of the Spanish conquest, Pachacámac served as the principal Incan ceremonial and administrative center for the area around Lima. At the entrance there is a site museum where the visitor will learn of the work conducted here by German archaeologist Max Uhle – the father of Peruvian archeology – in 1896. From the museum, you can visit the different pyramidal buildings that end at the Temple of Sun in the highest zone of Pachacámac. You need half a day to visit this major site.
Last but certainly not least, try to save a day to see the sacred city of Caral, home to the oldest known civilization in the Americas. Three hours north of Lima by car in the Supe River Valley, Caral is a striking 30-acre site, still under excavation, that includes no less than 6 pyramids among other monumental buildings. Caral has been radiocarbon dated at 2,650 B.C., making it contemporary with the great civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt, India and China; fully 1,500 years older than the civilizations of Mesoamerica and more than 4,000 years older than the Inca Empire. A visit to Caral promises to be a rewarding finale to your discovery of the surprising richness of archeology in Peru’s capital city of Lima, and a highlight of your travel to Peru.

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