- Bus ride along the coast to Chiclayo
- Straight on to the tour to Sicán and Túcume
- Finally, visit the brilliant Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán
At 6 a.m. you take a taxi to the bus station and from there to Emtrafesa to Chiclayo. While Niki uses the trip in the once again ultra-modern bus to get some sleep, I write down the experiences of yesterday and read travel guides.
After the three and a half hour drive, we will be met by the Colonia tour company. Instead of driving us to the hostel as agreed, we wait until all the other tour participants arrive. Then we go to the hostel and all other tourists have to wait. Which leads to various complaints from some local tour participants. Not for the first time, we not only feel welcome in Peru and one is quickly labeled as a gringo. After a short stop at the hotel, where we leave our backpack in the room, we can start.
First of all we drive to the well-prepared one Museo Nacional Sicán in Ferreñafe. The museum is dedicated to the finds of the Sicán or Lambayeque culture, which the north coast of Peru between 750 and 1375 AD. have lived. Interesting backgrounds to the finds are shown, everyday scenes of the people are illustrated using figures and replicas, before the archaeological finds follow.
We continue through sugar cane and rice fields, which are still today from the original Irrigation canals of the Moche Indians. The green fields in the otherwise dry landscape remind me strongly of the Egyptian Nile Valley. They are waiting further north Pyramids of Túcume, which also as Peruvian Valley of the Pyramides are known. Here we mainly visit the museum, which is moderately worth seeing, and can take a look over the extensive area. Remember the once richly decorated pyramids of the Moche and later Sican empires today only eroded hillswho probably still keep one secret or another. The most important find in the area so far has been an Inca prince known as El Señor de Túcume who took over the complex.
After a late lunch stop, we finally go to the real highlight of the day, maybe the whole Peruvian archeology: the Museo Tumbas Royal de Sipan. Only in 1987 did this take care of sensational find of Lord of Sipán for worldwide sensation. Unfortunately, all electronic devices have to be handed in, as electronic radiation causes the thin gold coatings to deteriorate.
The museum is truly an archaeological treasure is rightly compared with the find of Tutankhamun in Egypt. In both cases, the graves of the rulers were undiscovered by grave robbers, which was a great stroke of luck for archeology.
Exemplarily illustrated with background knowledge, graphics and photos from the excavations, visitors are introduced to the fantastic finds. Eleven ornate necklaces, sceptres, ceremonial knives, nose and ear jewelry, crowns made of gold, silver, copper and shells clearly show this high level of the buried. His sacrificed wife, two other women, a son, a dog, two lamas, a guard, the military commander, countless pottery workshops for all other possible friends, acquaintances and relatives were buried with the ruler. The museum conveys a picture of the world of the Moche Indians like no other. Scientific analysis has shown that the Lord of Sipán was about six feet tall and between 35 and 45 years old at the time of his death.
In one of the 14 side graves there was also a high priest, as well as the des old princes found. DNA tests have shown that this is a closely related ancestor (possibly his great-uncle), whose grave and gifts are hardly less spectacular. The finds were extensively restored and are now ideally presented in the specially built museum.
After this excursion into the fascinating world of ancient Peru, we return to Chiclayo. Niki goes to sleep soon while I update my blog.
