Ancient civilizations around Chiclayo
Ferreñafe - Sicán Culture
The Sicán culture thrived in the Lambayeque region from AD 750 to 1375. The Nation Museum of Sicán shows some beautiful golden artefacts from that culture.
This sketch shows the position in which the elite was buried. It doesn't seem to be comfortable at all, right?
In most cases, the nicest artefacts of this museum were found in ancient tombs.
Túcume - Archeological Site
The Túcume site, spread over 2 km2 land, protects a series of crumbling walls, plazas, and at least 26 pyramids. It was the last capital of the Sicán culture.
The pyramids, even if they are in bad shape, remain quite impressive. These structures have been initially built by the Sicán culture, but additional levels were added by the Chimú culture.
The main construction material being sand, time has left a mark on the pyramids. The climate is semi-desert, but it doesn't prevent some rare rains from damaging them.
Here is a nice example of a treasure once buried under a pyramid. In this case, a partial restoration was done in order to repair the wall.
The work required to remove dirt and sand from a wall, also made from the same materials, must be extraordinary.
Sipán - Huaca Rayada
The discovery of this site is a surprising story. The archeological site was discovered by huaqueros (tomb raiders) from the small village of Sipán.
After a time, in 1987, a local archeologist noticed that suddenly an abnormal quantity of artefacts were being sold on the black market. He concluded that a new site must have been discovered. After careful questioning the locals, he eventually found the actual archeological site.
The Sipán site is in fact a burial site with numerous burial mounds. At least one major tomb had already been pillaged, but the site was promptly protected by other archeologists and the local police. Several undisturbed burial mounds were discovered, including the famous burial of an important lord of the Moche culture. This person has been nicknamed the “Lord of Sipán.” The elite was buried with numerous offerings according to their status in the society.
At the site, it is possible to see reproduction of different tombs as they were discovered. The on-site museum contains a few of the artefacts found on this site, but the best ones are in Lambayeque in the “Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán.”
Lambayeque - Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán
The famous Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán is world class. It is a superb museum that shows the rich tombs discovered at the archeological site of Sipán.
Photos are not allowed in the museum, but a visit is absolutely worth it.
