Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán
(admission S10; 9am-5pm Tue-Sun, last admission 4pm)
Opened in Novem-
ber 2002, the Museum of the Royal Tombs of Sipán is the pride of northern Peru - as well
it should be. With its burgundy pyramid construction rising gently out of the earth, it's a
world-class facility specifically designed to showcase the marvelous finds from Sipán.
Photography is not permitted and all bags must be checked.
Visitors are guided through the museum from the top down and are shown some of the
numerous discoveries from the tomb in the same order that the archaeologists found them
- this small detail alone, rare in the museum world, adds a fascinating context to visits.
The first hall contains detailed ceramics representing gods, people, plants, llamas and oth-
er animals. Descending to the 2nd floor there are delicate objects like impossibly fine
turquoise-and-gold ear ornaments showing ducks, deer and the Lord of Sipán himself. The
painstaking and advanced techniques necessary to create this jewelry place them among
the most beautiful and important objects of pre-Columbian America. Finally, the ground
floor features exact reproductions of how the tombs were found. Numerous dazzling ob-
jects are displayed, the most remarkable of which are the gold pectoral plates representing
sea creatures such as the octopus and crab. Even the sandals of the Lord of Sipán were
made of precious metals, as he was carried everywhere and never had to walk. Interest-
ingly, since nobility were seen as part-animal god, they used the
nariguera
(a distinctive
nose shield) to conceal their very human teeth - and the fact that they were no different
from everyone else.
The lighting and layout is exceptional, especially a large, moving diorama of the Lord
of Sipán and his retinue, with details down to the barking Peruvian hairless dogs. The sig-
nage is all in Spanish, but English- speaking guides are available for S30.
MUSEUM
Bruning Museum
(adult S8; 9am-5pm)
This museum, once a regional archaeological showcase, is now
greatly overshadowed by the Museo Tumbas Reales de Sipán; however, it still houses a
good collection of artifacts from the Chimú, Moche, Chavín and Vicus cultures. Budding
archaeologists will enjoy the displays showing the development of ceramics from differ-
ent cultures and the exhibits explaining how ceramics and metalwork were made. Archi-
tecture and sculpture lovers may find some interest in the Corbusier-inspired building,
bronze statues and tile murals adorning the property. Models of several important sites are
genuinely valuable for putting the archaeology of the region into perspective. English-
speaking guides charge S30.
MUSEUM
