Ancient Egypt´s Got Nothin on These Tombs!

Today I went to some really awesome ruins of some really awesome adobe pyramids that were built by a pre-Inca civilization that had control of the north of Peru until the Incas came and whooped their asses.  Anyways, this society was super advanced, and they had built some 26 massive pyramids in one particular area of Peru, the artifacts of which rival the findings from the pyramids in ancient Egypt.

cool pyramids in the background

Most of the 26 pyramids were clustered together inside of an area that was fenced off and privatized by the government, but one of the pyramids was just right in the middle of this dusty little shanty town, which I thought would have been pretty cool for the towns residents, especially the two teenagers I saw making out behind one of the corners of the pyramid-how romantic, hehehe!  There was also a strange juxtaposition of this national treasure in the backyard of a shanty town that lacked running water and electricity, such that their communal outdoor toilets (ie, holes in the ground), were practically at the base of the pyramid.  A nice view for when nature calls, but makes you wonder where the money that these tourist attractions bring to Peru is being distributed.

cute little dirt road

Anyways, the pyramids themselves were cool, if immense, and difficult to understand, but the real amazing part of the whole experience was the nearby museum Tumbas Reales de Sipan, where all of the found gold was shown off, the ancient culture explained, and the tombs reproduced.

Of course, my favorite was the gold!  Wasn't allowed to take my camera into the museum, abut there was more gold in those tombs that I think I will ever see for the rest of my life combined.  The lord of Sipan (more or less the king) was buried with gold  gold gold.  Three pairs of earrings as big as may head with enough detail to put any modern jewelry to shame.  Also, he had gold to wear on his head, gold plates to cover his face, and gigantic necklaces and chest decorations made of pure gold. 

View of the town from atop the pyramid

The museum was amazingly well done, one of the best I have been to ever, and certainly the best so far in S.A.  There was a rad reproduction of the king´s burial site that you could look into from above.  The king was buried with a bunch of servants and of course everything else that he would need for the afterlife in a tomb that had at least three rooms, every single one of which was bigger than every apartment I have ever spent my living days in.  Yup, the king was a PIMP for sure.  Oh yeah, and Peru sure is cool.

most residential areas in peru look like this

found in the tombs

the first pyramid from afar

a makeshift soccer field-they are everywhere!

here i am-scared to go all the way to the top

more pyramids

and more

view from a nearby mountain

super rad desert pyramids