Pachacamac Museum

The Archaeological Sanctuary of Pachacamac

The exhibition in this museum is aimed to share the universal
values that quality the Archaelogical Santuary of Pachacamac to
be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. These values refer to
its excepcional cultura signicance, which should be a priority of
preservtion for present and future generations.

History of the Sanctuary

Pachacamac was the main sanctuary of the central coast for over
a thousand years. Its temples were visited by crowds of pilgrims
on the occasion of the great Andean rituals, as Pachacamac was
a successful oracle capable of predicting the future and
controlling the movements of the earth. The inhabitants of all
the Andes also went to the sanctuary of Pachacamac in search of
solutions to their problems or answers to their doubts.

The word Pachacamac means "soul of the earth, the one who
animates the world." The ancient Peruvians believed that a single
movement of their head would cause earthquakes. He could not
be seen directly in the eye, and even his priests entered the
room from behind. The cult of Pachacamac was the center of all
coastal religion.

The sanctuary is located in the valley of Lurín, which constitutes

the territorial framework of its location and on whose margins a
series of towns settled for three thousand years, taking
advantage of its waters. The first occupations date from the
Archaic period (5000 BC); then, in the Formative period (1800
B.C. - 200 B.C.), Mina Perdida, Cardal and Manchay stand out; in
the Late Formative (200 B.C. - 200 A.D.) different local styles are
distinguished such as Tablada de Lurín and Villa El Salvador.

From the archaeological data provided by the investigations, we

know that the occupation of the Archaelogical Sanctuary of
Pachacamac began in the Late Formative, because in the pampas
located in front of the monumental zone there is a cemetery
corresponding to settlers who probably lived dedicated to the
fishing, agriculture and the exploitation of the hills. Its ceramic,
called the Panel style, includes sculptural bottles in the form of
birds and felines. These ancient settlers also stood out in the
making of copper artifacts.

In the period of the Regional Developments (200-600 AD) the

Lima culture was developed, which is distributed on the central
coast in the adjacent valleys of Chancay, Chillón, Rímac and
Lurín. The construction of the sanctuary began in this period,
with Pachacamac being the most important center of the Lurin
Valley. At that time both the Old Temple was built, an imposing
mole made with adobitos forming panels with a "bookcase"
technique, such as the Adobes' Lima Adobes Set.

From 600 to 1100 A.D. evidence of the Wari empire is

concentrated in Pachacamac. The apogee of the oracle of
Pachacamac occurred precisely during the Middle Horizon - Wari
period, when it became a religious center that attracted a large
number of pilgrims reaching a first Panamanian splendor. From
this time an extensive cemetery dates, excavated by Max Uhle in
1896, which is located at the foot and below the Pachacamac
Temple, as well as a series of ceramic offerings found in the area.

Around 1100 AD, the Ychma established their power center in

Pachacamac, with a series of residential and administrative
settlements that include ramp pyramids, among others, including
Tijerales, Quebrada Golondrina, Pacae Redondo and Panquilma,
in the Lurín Valley. In 1470 the Incas had established an
important provincial capital in Pachacamac where buildings such
as the Temple of the Sun and the Acllawasi stood out, among
others. Pachacamac's religious importance was added as one of
the main administrative centers of the coast during this period.

At the arrival of the Spaniards, in 1533, Pachacamac was the

most important sanctuary on the coast, as the chroniclers'
stories assure. The abandonment of the sanctuary of
Pachacamac dates from the time of the Colony. Over time,
leading researchers such as Max Uhle, Julio C. Tello, Arturo
Jiménez Borja, among others, have contributed important
research to understand the sanctuary.

Currently, the Ministry of Culture continues to develop a series

of research and conservation works to contribute to the
knowledge and dissemination of such an important
archaeological heritage.

LOCATION:
The Archaeological Sanctuary of Pachacamac is located near the
mouth of the Lurin River, and along with the Rimac and Chillon
rivers, form the three main valleys in the central coast of Peru.
This Santuary is embedded in three different ecosystems the
desert plain, the fertile valley and the sea.