In southern Peru’s Macusani District, circa 4,000 metre high Tantamaco is the organic native potato capital. Potatoes are indeed widely grown here and in fact originated from this part of the world. However, for me this aspect of Tantamaco was overshadowed by the awesome Andes Mountain scenery.
Stunning valley views on the drive to Tantamaco Continue reading
Why was there a hole in the ground with separate entries south of Aymaña in Peru’s Corani District, 4,000 metres high in the Andes Mountains? Even guide Ulices did not know the cavern’s purpose.
In the foreground is the cavern’s side entrance while the hole above is visible as a depression in the hill Continue reading
Gold has been found in southern Peru’s Carabaya Province for centuries, if not, thousands of years. On our second day trip from Macusani, guide Ulices showed Rocío and I two historic gold processing sites in Corani District – one Spanish colonial, the other pre-Inca. Each site in the high Andes used different methods to apply similar processing principles.
Not far from Corani town are the ruins of a gold mill set up by the Spanish rulers during colonial times. Gold ore was crushed between two millstones on a channel. The milled ore then washed into a pond with the heavier gold falling to the bottom and the lighter waste rock travelling downstream.
The colonial gold mill’s runner stone remains partially on top of the larger bed stone Continue reading
Near Tantamaco on the Corani and Macusani district border in southern Peru lies Marca Marca. Settled during pre-Inca times and situated on a hill, the village overlooked the surrounding high Andes valley.
Low level cloud soon replaced beautiful late afternoon light on our October 2016 visit. That didn’t stop guide Ulices, Rocío and I exploring the ruins and searching for ceramic fragments.
Viewed from Marca Marca, the surrounding valley and mountains are covered in dry stone walls and terraces Continue reading
WARNING: this blog post contains images of mummified remains some people may find disturbing
Puno Region’s Ollachea district in southern Peru has fantastic, easily accessible pre-Columbian sites including chulpas, ruins, ancient terraces and mummies in caves!
An Ollachea shopkeeper told Rocío about places to visit outside of town on our October 2016 visit. Not only this, she kindly arranged for her son to pick us up and take us around in his trike-trailer. The sites, south and north of Ollachea were all close by the Interoceanic Highway.
The son first took us to the Chillacori (also known as Chichacori and Chickakuri) Archaeological site featuring two chulpas (tombs) and other ancient ruins in an amazing valley setting.
A pre-Columbian chulpa on a rocky outcrop surrounded by modern potato fields Continue reading