Piura

Temple of the Jaguar

When the Inca conquered the Piura region in the middle of the 15th century they imposed their cult of the divinity of the sun, and for this reason covered the original structure with red clay. In 1960, farmers found the original jaguar temple among the roots of a field they were working. It was not until 1988 that the first archaeological investigations were conducted under the direction of the Italian researcher Mario Polia Meconi. Jaguar figures were found carved into three terraces constructed from enormous stone blocks and an upper level of clay.

Aypate Archaeological Zone

In 1996 the National Institute of Culture called Aypate the “archaeological capital of Piura”. At the site you can observe the archaeological characteristics typical of the Inca state, with its central plaza, meeting hall, ceremonial platforms, houses for chosen women, irrigation channels, fortified lookout and royal passageways. The city exercised control over the people of several neighboring river basins. This complex is surrounded by a cloud forest laden with orchids and bromeliads, birds, deer and other species. The site is a collection of widely dispersed buildings covering an area of approximately 2 km2, and displays a broad range of architectural and construction techniques.

Illescas Archaeological Complex

Illescas is composed of a cemetery, funeral caves and some other small stone structures. Experts consider it a place where they can trace the origins of Sechura Man and the Illescas civilization. The complex is situated around a collection of beaches in the Illescas Zone, like Point Shode, Las Loberas and Nunura Avic. This stretch of the coast is home to sea lions and Humboldt Penguins and a host of marine bird species.

Samanga Petroglyphs

The Samanga Petroglyphs are carvings in bas relief on large blocks of stone, made by the ancient “guayacundos” to represent the movement of the stars. They take their name from the quechua word meaning “place where the Huacas can rest.” In a lower part of the site is a rock carving called the Altar, inscribed with figures representing the Andean conception of duality.

Vicus Archaeological Area

The Vicús culture occupied the high zone of Piura and this site, the most extensive cemetery in the culture, was discovered by grave-robbers — or “huaqueros” — in the late 1950s, in the Frias zone of Ayabaca Province. During the 1960s archaeologists moved in and studied the Vicus peak, excavating an extensive area. It’s calculated that during the years when the site was exploited, robbers looted more than 2,000 tombs, with more than 40,000 specimens finding their way into private collections overseas.

Narihualá Fort

Once the capital of the Tallán nation, Narihualá is considered the most important architectural monument in Piura, standing out for its size and prominent platforms made from adobe brick smoothed over with mud. The fort is divided into four sections, three of which have been completely excavated and studied, with work on the last still underway. The buildings reach a maximum height of 40 meters and the site occupies an area of 6 hectares.

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