My first experience traveling outside of the US was to Chao, Peru where I spent 7 weeks digging around in the dirt, speaking really bad Spanish and yucking it up with the locals.
- The gang
Before the start of the field season, we were taken as a group to the World Heritage Site of Chan Chan. Spanning nearly 20 km it is the largest Pre-Columbian site in South America and the capital for the Kingdom of Chimor of the Chimu people (really, say that five times fast.) The complex is composed of adobe walled citadels, often covered with reliefs of animals and stylized, geometric shapes. The Tschudi Complex is the only complex open to visitors and is where most of the photos were taken.
- Otter Relief, Tschudi Complex
- Close Up of Otter Relief, Tschudi Complex
- Fish Relief, Tschudi Complex
We also had the opportunity to see the fascinating Huaca de la Luna and Huaca de la Sol (Temple of the Moon and Sun, respectively) two wonderfully preserved Moche sites near Cerro Blanco about 4 km outside of Trujillo.
- Moche “decapitador” image (true color)
- Detail of facade, Huaca de la Luna
Our home away from home was Chao, a rural village about 2 1/2 hours north of Trujillo, along the coast. Interestingly enough, much of Chao’s agriculture is based on the production of marigolds – you can see a field in this photo:
- Marigold Field as seen from Dos Titties
Our home was a gutted schoolhouse, recycled and transformed into La Casa del Gringos. The neighbour behind us owned a turkey that was a very good alarm clock. Until he was eaten. Then he was a tasty dinner.
- La Casa del Gringos
- Where all the anthropology happened
We also had a feral cat in the house who proved to be very helpful with the mice and cockroaches.
- El gato
Trying to explain a city in terms that preserve its integrity without resorting to patronizing adjectives is difficult, so I think I’ll shut up for now and let the pictures do the talking:
- El Burro
- La Plaza
- Image of market
- Man at market
- Walking through the market
- Dinner?
- Street Scene
- Boy at market
- House Wall
The field, however, is a completely different story. The Santa Rita B site is located in the Chao River Valley, crammed between the Andes and a huge alluvial flood plain. The excavations for 2005 focused on Chimu and Moche occupation from 1000 BC through the 16th century AD.
Getting to Santa Rita town was a hysterical 45 minute ordeal over bumpy roads.
- Just hang on
The combi would often stop to pick up paying passengers along the way, many of which were not human. This sometimes meant that you would have a stranger’s kid and a bag of guinea pigs (“Cuy”) on your lap for most of the trip. I. Loved. It. One memorable day we had 14 or so people packed into the combi (with room for about 9). I laughed so hard that I had tears running down my cheeks! Fantastic good times!
From Santa Rita it was a 30 minute hike through fallow fields to the site itself.
The first day at the site we were taught about the recent history of the valley and how weather patterns (El Nino events and the like) still shaped agriculture and trading along the Peruvian coast. We were also shown some phenomenal petroglyphs that littered the boulder strewn alluvial plain.
- The Andes as seen from the site
- Feline petroglyph near the site
- Fish/amphibian petroglyph near the site
Unfortunately, looting is a huge problem in many of the sites along the northern coast of Peru and many burials were destroyed before any comprehensive archaeological work could be done. It was unnerving to walk through a site littered with human bones and bits of pottery.
- Yes, that’s a human sacrum
Work at the site was filled with excavation, mapping, survey, sifting and some pretty cool finds. The second or third day yielded a carved stone mask and Spondylus shells and many skeletal remains were excavated from four units at the sites throughout project.
- A carved stone mask, the first find of the season!
- Interred individual after rock was removed
- Beautifully healed leg fracture
- i haz ur skull and ur buckket
- im in ur site messin up ur provinience
The weekends were ours to do with what we pleased and more often then not, we’d all hop on a bus to Trujillo or Huanchaco to enjoy a hot shower and beds (I know, what a bunch of wussies we were).
- Enjoying a lovely day in Trujillo
Huanchaco is a tiny little tourist beach town with a stunning ocean view and excellent food (the ceviche and manjar is to die for.)
- A great little bar/cafe/disco in Huanchaco
One weekend, we had the opportunity through one of the field directors to take a private dune-buggy tour of the sites along the coast. While absolutely marvellous, we were all struck with the intensity of looting at these sites, where human remains were scattered everywhere with little regard to cultural significance or context.
- For all the world to see
- Cathy teaches us about cranial morphology
At the end of the project, several of us hung around for a week or so to do some independent travelling to Chiclayo where the Bruja’s Market, Tucume and Sipan waited.
- 2 stars is enough for me
The Bruja’s Market (“witch’s” market) is a sprawling complex stuffed with all manner of healing articles and curanderos happy to take a look at you. I was retarded with excitement.
- Who’s got the herb? Oh! I do!
- Heal me, please
Tucume (referred to as Purgagtorio by the locals) is a massive (200 acre!) sprawl of brick pyramids and encloses at the base of La Raya Mountain. It is a haunting place, very quiet and with a company of condors overhead. While climbing La Raya, I found a human tooth. Creepy.
- Erosion of a large mound
- Mound; Tucume
- A portion of Tucume from atop La Reya
- Light filters through the trees in Tucume proper
Sipan is a widely known archaeological site that is considered (in some circles) to be one of the most important discoveries in South America. A mostly undisturbed tomb of what appeared to be a high-ranking Moche noble/official was excavated, yielding a wealth of jewellery, masks, beads, coats, feathered objects, fine pottery and all manner of other shiny goods. Unfortunately, no photography was allowed in the museum, so you’ll have to take my word for it when I say “it kicked ass!”.
Our last trip was to Lima where we spent an afternoon wandering around several museums and national buildings. Not that I remember what any of them were.
- Errmm…a building.
- …and a door…
- …and a church?
Ahh Peru.
I hope to return at some point to see the Nazca Lines and Machu Picchu, but I have to get to Thailand and Egypt first. Heh, baby steps!
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