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The
Interior:
Chachapoyas, Kuelap and Cajamarca. |
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| Chachapoyas, which means “People of
the Clouds”, is the name of a civilization that fought
from high forest strongholds in resistance to Inca expansion
and Spanish invasion. One of the last kingdoms to succumb
to the Inca, its legacy includes one of South America's archaeological
wonders - the defensive fortress of Kuelap. Perched on the
shoulder of a 10,000-foot mountain, this 9th Century citadel
comprisesan urban complex of more than 400 stone edifices
- homes, palaces and temples enclosed by a 70-foot-tall stone
wall. |
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Their architecture demonstrates decidedly non-Inca features,
such as protruding geometric patterns, cornices, and friezes.
Kuelap's setting is unforgettably beautiful - a tropical cloud forest
festooned with orchids and steeped in mystery.
The Revash Tombs, the Karajia Sarcophagi and the extensive network
of Chachapoyas paved trails also serve as a reminder of the greatness
of this vanished nation. Archaeologists just now are mapping and
excavating many important Chachapoyas sites. The museum in Leymebamba,
which displays 200 mummies recovered from the remote Lake of the
Condors, describes the extraordinary embalming methods of the Chachapoya,
their lifestyle and culture. The Museum also houses a collection
of knotted Quipu, the record-keeping device of the Incas.
Cajamarca is a city of colonial charm, rolling Andean countryside,
and home to the important archaeological sites of Ventanillas of
Otuzco and Cumbemayo. It is a place of great historical significance
- in this city Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro captured,
imprisoned, ransomed, and executed Inca Emperor Atahualpa, unleashing
the destruction of Inca civilization. Travelers may stroll in the
town square - site of the first and decisive battle between the
Spanish and the Inca - and visit the ransom rooms that were filled
with gold and silver by legions of loyal Inca subjects in the attempt
to buy the freedom of their doomed regent.
| Chachapoyas
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