Peru 8

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PERU, SILLUSTANI TOMB

Visit: Train: Cuzco to Puno Photo Gallery

The island's agriculture was self-sustaining. A brilliant system of food production on the island’s terraced slopes had long ago been devised. Land would be planted and harvested one year, then grazed upon by livestock and naturally fertilized the next, then allowed to be fallow before the cycle began again with planting. The soil retained its fertility with this simple, smart system. Above the terraces, the views on the highest points of the island were breathtaking.

Our second day on the lake, the local who navigated our small craft informed us that the water was extremely choppy, and could possibly remain so all day. We proceeded onto the lake for about a half-hour; then could go no further due to the roughness and high waves. We anchored in an inlet, and waited it out. Our Captain was smart, as many boats proceeded further, but were forced to come around and join us on the more quiet waters. I found the opportunity to have a deep rest for the hour or two that we bobbed around. The waters never quieted, so we devised a new plan for the rest of the day.

Not far inland was an ancient burial site called Sillustani. We visited its impressive burial towers that rose sometimes 40 feet above the shores of small Lake Umayo, which bordered the site. The towers are known as chullpas, and they were the resting places of the remains of family groups. Their interior shape follows the shape of a uterus. The small doors of the towers were always oriented to the east, and their stonework is considered even more intricate than that of the Inca's. The curved stones fit together with amazing precision, and no mortar.

PERU, SILLUSTANI WOMAN WITH HER VICUÑA

A local woman posed near Lake Umayo with her vicuña, a small and purported nasty relative of the llama and alpaca. Higher and colder climates evolved smaller and smaller versions of these animals.

The vicuña is valued for its dense wool, and clothing from it can be quite expensive. The taut rope around its neck kept it well mannered, and it never appeared to consider spitting. Looks did not describe the animal's temperament, however, because it was extremely cute.

I found a piece of pottery near one of the towers, and I was told by our guide that it was quite ancient; probably from the Tiwanaku culture. We were soon to leave Peru to visit Lake Titicaca's Bolivian shores, and another important sacred site for us to experience in Bolivia was Tiwanaku. Daniel had been strongly drawn to Tiwanaku's Sun Gate from the first time he saw images of it and read of its history. I left the pottery exactly where I found it in Sillustani, and blessed the many souls whose bodies had been laid to rest there. It had been an honor to walk amongst their towering tombs. I thanked the waves on the lake whose presence that day had created the space and time for us to visit this ancient and profound burial site.