Pacchamac, Sanctuary of Mysteries: Why New Discovery Has Archaeologists Talking? | Archeology | Lurin | South of Lima | Lights

Some historians, such as Cieza de Leon, emphasize the antiquity of this cult, which is revered by the Inca administration’s conquest of the central coast and the construction of the Temple of the Sun. and Oracle to Tupac Yupanky. To these first and surprised Spanish visitors, comparisons of Pachacamac with Mecca or with the Greek oracles of Olympia and Delphi were imposed. In the 20th century, researchers such as Max Uhle and Julio C. Tello have used the claims of these historians in a variety of ways to interpret their sources and to generate hypotheses—always incidentally—about the chronology, functions, and characteristics of Pacchamac over its long history. .

However, archaeologist Kristof Maghowski, who directed fieldwork in the Lun’s Valley since 1991, “Huari Empire (800-1100-1100-1100-1100-1100-1100-1100-1100-1100-1100-11000-11000-11000-11000-11000-11000-11000-11000-11000 Considers it “contradicts interpretative views of the temple and oracle’s origin”. AD). Instead, the god and oracle of Pachacamac and the ritual center of the same name, with its planned structure, were part of the religious policy of the Inca Empire, that is, only in the 15th century. “The Incas chose a special place with a long tradition of worshiping ponds, puquios and islands and other local deities such as Kuniraya, Gaulaca or Urbaihuachak.”, notes the researcher.

Discovery

These hypotheses have now been confirmed by the discovery at Pachacamak of 73 intact burial mounds of both sexes, including adults and children, from the period of expansion of the Huari Empire between 800 and 1100 AD. The simplicity of most bundles suggests that they are not the modesty of elites, but the modesty of ordinary men and women. Also found in one of them were fishing related items and a small wooden scepter.

At Truso, two groups of ceramic vessels were found, the styles of which indicate the possible origins of their former makers and users. On the one hand, there are ceramics influenced by the tradition of the southern mountains, such as ceremonial vessels, keros, huari-shaped bowls, often inspired by the Tiahuanaco style; and on the other hand, pots and jugs belonging to styles associated with the mid-north and north coast.

According to Makowsky, these burials not only reveal information about the social status of men and women during this period, but also demonstrate the various uses pachakama had over time. “The Huari settlement was relatively modest and did not exhibit formal or functional characteristics in common with the later Inca Pachacamac, characterized by its monumental scale and planned layout of streets and walls.”Dice.

Multiple overlapping sites

“The evidence shows that the various pachacamacs superimposed each other in a long temporal sequence. This evidence has not been properly perceived or studied, and the opinions of Spanish observers such as Pizarro or the Estates are given more weight than the obvious results of strata excavations,” the archaeologist says.

For example, Makowsky notes that excavations carried out along the main walled road that pilgrims must have traversed revealed a single clay road lined with Inca ceramics. “If the oracle is true of Huari origin and more than 700 years old, dozens of roads and sandbars have been discovered, confirmed by traffic, and exaggerated like a mill-beauil”Dice.

According to their research, instead of a sequence of continuous use of architectural and communication axes, various partially adjacent and partially overlapping pachagams come to light: the oldest from the time of the Lima culture, revealed around the pyramid of the old temple, abandoned in 800; Then there is another, from the second half of the middle horizon, during the Huari period, which became a settlement with tombs and a ceremonial platform under a painted temple; Then there was a Ychsma settlement; And finally the Pachacamac, an Inca painted temple from the 15th century. That is, the many Pachakamas with different characteristics and functions must be understood in the context of their respective periods.

From the Croats

Among the new pieces discovered, the discovery of two sticks carved in a statue-like style of pachacamac wood is surprising. What is the relevance of these objects? Makovsky responds: Ever since the Pachagamak idol was discovered in a painted temple, controversy over its origin has continued. The sculpture does not represent a male deity, but a two-faced statue, two different characters, possibly of the opposite sex, joined at the back, each with two legs, but only one arm. From recent C14 dates, the wood is known to have been cut in the late 8th or early 9th century AD, and the question is whether the fragment was carved at that time or later. Now, according to a close fashion between the two employees and the statue, the famous worship image was first shown on the platform found under the temple where the painted temple was first painted, and it was built at the same time when most of the burials were discovered. Time is the foot of this building.

In short, it’s new evidence that reveals the many uses of this iconic site, located less than an hour from Lima.