Northern Highlands - Peru - page 881

habited by the Chachapoyas. The site receives remarkably few visitors, but those who
make it here get to witness one of the most significant and impressive pre-Columbian ru-
ins in all of South America.
Sights & Activities
Constructed between AD 500 and 1493, and rediscovered in 1843, Kuélap (adult/student/
child S15/8/2; 8am-5pm) is made up of millions of cubic feet of remarkably preserved
stone. Juan Crisóstomo Nieto, a judge working in the Chachapoyas area who discovered
the ruins, originally said more stone was used in its construction than for the Great Pyram-
id of Egypt, a comparison that mathematically makes no sense, but nonetheless conveys
his intended message: there's a lot of stone here! Though the stonework is not as elaborate
as that of the Incas, the 700m-long oval fortress is surrounded by an imposing, near-im-
penetrable wall that towers on average around 20m high. Entrance into this stronghold is
via three deep, lean gates - once believed to be an ingenious security system that forced
attacking parties into easily defeated single files - but further speculation has shown that
earthquakes, erosion, rain and destroyed mortar might have caused the walls to move from
their original positions, creating more narrow passages than originally intended.
Inside are two levels scattered with the remnants of more than 400 circular dwellings.
Some are decorated with zigzag and rhomboid friezes, and all were once topped by soar-
ing thatched roofs. One dwelling has been reconstructed. In its heyday, Kuélap housed up
to 3500 people and, surrounded by wispy cloud, must have been a breathtaking sight. The
most impressive and enigmatic structure, named El Tintero (Inkpot), is in the shape of a
large inverted cone. Inside, an underground chamber houses the remains of animal sacri-
fices, leading archaeologists to believe that it was a religious building of some kind.
Kuélap Resident Archaeologist Alfredo Narvez has now excavated graves and llama skel-
etons around El Tintero to further support this theory. A 1996 hypothesis by a team from
the University of San Diego suggests it may have also been a solar calendar. Another
building is a lookout tower with excellent 360-degree vistas. The mountain summit on
which the whole city sits is surrounded by abundant greenery, towering bromeliad-
covered trees and exotic orchids.
Tours & Guides
The guardians at Kuélap are very friendly and helpful; one is almost always on hand to
show visitors around and answer questions. Don José Gabriel Portocarrero Chávez runs
the ticket booth and has been there for years; he no longer guides but can set you up with
a Spanish-speaking guide from the association (S30).