Mummies and Nazca Lines

3 MAY: CHAUCHILLA AND NAZCA

Travel time: 2 hours

Hotel: Hotel Alegria

What I’ve learnt:

1. A lot about the ancient Nazca burial rituals
2. That grave robbers ruin everything
3. Nazca lines are actually a lot smaller than I thought they’d be

Questions unanswered:

• How DID the Nazcans get those lines there?

I’m writing today’s blog from a hammock by the pool at our hotel, as we wait for dinner!

Sven and I in our hammocks

Today we set off early and went to Chauchilla cemetery. The place is in the middle of nowhere – it just looks like a barren desert – but is full of so much history and spirit.

I learnt all about the Nazca burial process – they mummified everyone (no matter their status) – they removed their intestines but left all their other organs in. They also buried them in a foetal position so that they could be ‘born again’ in the afterlife.

 

mummy in chauchilla

 

 

baby mummy. these were put at the front of family graves as extra protection

 There were bones literally scattered around the desert – where grave robbers beat the archaeologists to the site, they desecrated the place and threw the remains.

After that, we went and learnt about their pottery techniques. Did you know they made panpipes out of clay?

Since then, we’ve had a great lunch and Sian, Sam, Janine and I caught a taxi over to a lookout to see a couple of the Nazca Lines – the tree and the hands.

 

checking out the lines

 

The Nazca people were obviously great at maths and geometry, as you can’t make the shapes out at all from the ground but as soon as you get elevated you can make them out really clearly.

 

Nazca lines: you can make out the hands behind me.

 

Next up: dinner followed by a 10 hour night bus to Arequipa. I’ve got a reputation of falling asleep on public transport so I’ve got my fingers crossed for a good night’s sleep!