TRUJILLO and surrounds (Peru)
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| Plaza de Armas |
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| Performance in preperation for Peru´s independance day (1821) celebrations on 28 July |
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| They have giant expressive mannequins here |
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| Peruvian poet César Vallejo exhibition at Casa de la Emancipación |
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| Casa Urcuiaga |
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| Street performer on Paseo Pizarro |
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Trujillo headquarters of the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance centre-left political party, whose founder, Víctor Raúl Haya de la Torre, came from here
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Chan Chan
Capital of the Chimor Empire (900-1470) before being conquered by the Inca Empire. This World Heritage Site (1986), which is the largest adobe city in the ancient world, is approximately 25 km² and consists of 9 royal compounds (ciudadelas) which would have contained many examples of the Chimú culture. A new compound was built for each new ruler and the previous one closed in the transition. The Tschudi (recently renamed ´Nik An´) compound has been restored by archaeologists. It is thought 40,000-60,000 people lived here at one time.
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| Chan Chan - outer wall of one of the 9 royal compounds (ciudadelas) on site |
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| The Nik An royal compound outer wall |
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| The Nik An compound contains an area where 17 temples have been discovered so far, 7 of which have been restored. Each housed its own priest. The only defining characteristic is the figure surrounding the base of each temple. Above are pelican figures and the diamond shapes above them depict a net. |
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Interestingly, this cross is similar to the chakana (Inca cross) which is strongly associated with the later Incan Empire
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| A pixelated pelican |
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| Main square of the Nik An compound |
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A squirell like creature (which doesn´t exist any more, locally at least) surrounds the main square and is thought to represent the earth (the area consisted of forests at some stage). The lines above it represent waves in the ocean leading up to the horizon.
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The fish depicted on the outer wall of the main square face in a different direction at various intervals, which archaeologists think represents both the highly influencial Humboldt Current, and the impact an El Niño event has on the current
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The only entrance to the Nik An compound. Around 200 kids from different schools showed up about an hour after I arrived
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| Wooden Chimú guardians |
Huanchaco is a beachside town near Trujillo which is known as the birthplace of ceviche (a popular seafood dish) and the caballito de totora (reed boat), arguably the world´s first craft used to ride waves.
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| Blue-footed booby |
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| A caballito de totora being paddled out with a tourist on the back |
The Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna are part of Huacas de Moche and the remains of the ancient Moche (100-700AD) capital city Cerro Blanco (named after a nearby volcano). Judging by markings on the bricks, the larger Huaca del Sol was built by potentially over one hundred different Moche communities. The Huaca de la Luna is smaller, but better preserved.
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| The area of the Huaca de la Luna where sacrifices were carried out. Cerro Blanco is in the background. |
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| The Moche god Ai Apaec |
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| The Huaca de la Luna is effectively an upside down pyramid, with each newly introduced level expanding on the one below it |
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| Different brick markings indicate many different communities helped build the temples |
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| Looking over the site of the old city (Cerro Blanco) towards the Huaca del Sol from the Huaca de la Luna |
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| The unrestored Huaca del Sol |
