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Destination Peru
Callejón de Conchucos / Conchucos Valley
Part I: Rediscovering Chavín
By M. Antonieta Alfaro-Snively

Children from the Callejón de Conchucos Photo: Antonieta Alfaro-Snively

Have you heard about The Callejón de Conchucos? It is located on the east side of the Cordillera Blanca in the department of Ancash. Most people and tourists go to the west side of the Cordillera Blanca, to the well-known and beautiful Callejón de Huaylas. This time my husband and I decided to set for a new adventure, and indeed it was.

One of the highlights of the Callejón de Conchucos is the well-known archaeological remains of Chavín de Huántar, a pre- Inca monument and UNESCO World Heritage site. You may have been to Chavín or may have a friend who has been there. But probably only as a half-day visit using Huaraz as a base, meaning you went north and then back south and east to this amazing site. Now you can go directly from Lima to Catac, and on to Chavín after driving by the beautiful Querococha Lake and crossing the Kahuish tunnel in Huascarán National Park (see map). This can be a prime destination on its own!

Just outside of Chavín, you will find the recently opened facilities of Konchucos Tambo a fine hotel built by Antamina / Asociación Ancash and currently run by Explorandes and Rainforest Expeditions. We started the trip early Friday morning at 5:45 am from Lima, and got there around 1:30 pm same day, just in time to have a healthy lunch and relax reading in its terraces and enjoying the great views of the valley. This timing includes only SOS stops for getting gas and snacks for the road, using restrooms and taking two pictures!

The deposit in the ruins site with all the Cabezas clavas that are being protected Photo: Antonieta Alfaro-Snively

In the afternoon the friendly personnel of Konchucos Tambo took us for a tour around their property, a farm hike! The complex is surrounded by an 18-hectare farm run by the Institute for Development and the Environment. What do you get to see? Its flowers and gardens, fresh veggies soon to be provided to the hotel and special animals like the Arab goats in caramel color.

That night a group of Peruvian and North American archeologists came to the hotel, so we chatted with them and guess what…they invited us for a special exhibition that was prepared for a group of Japanese who are potential sponsors of a research program and a museum. So next morning there we were at the site of Chavín where you have seen or your friends have seen the only Cabeza Clava left on site. Well, we have more good news. It was revealed and showed to us the other Cabezas Clavas with different expressions that are being protected in a deposit, and hopefully soon will be available for the public in a local museum.

“Dating from around 1300 to 400 BC, the Chavín culture was typified by a highly developed artistic style and a cult whose influence lasted longer than that of the Roman Empire. The temple of Chavín de Huantar is thought to have been a major ceremonial center, and felines, principally the jaguar, the most important deities of the cult. What first strikes most visitors upon their arrival at Chavín de Huántar is the quality of the stone work found in the temple walls and the plaza stairways. The dry-stonemasonry construction reflects a sophistication not expected from a culture that flourished more than 3,000 years ago. Added to this are huge stone slabs with highly stylized carvings of jaguars, eagles and anacondas.”

“The interior of the temple is a subterranean labyrinth of passages and galleries set on at least three levels which are connected by a series of ramps and stairs. Though there are no windows, a highly engineered ventilation system allows the continuous flow of fresh air throughout, another marvel produced by an ancient civilization. At the heart of the underground complex two narrow passageways cross, and at their junction stands the Lanzón de Chavín. This 4 meter (13ft) high granite monolith is thought to be the principal god image worshipped by this cult.” (1)

Very impressive! It was placed in what was considered the center of the world.

Plaza in the town of San Marcos Photo: Scott Snively

By the way, our guide mentioned that President Belaúnde donated this Lanzón Monolitico to the U.S. president. Luckily it is still in place because the people of the town of Chavín did not allow it to be taken. Speaking of Presidents…our guide also mentioned that despite the fact that President Fujimori visited this site several times and was inspired by its underground labyrinth and tunnels for the rescue operation at the Japanese Embassy, no money was donated for maintenance or research by his government.

Luckily there is now some financing and donations being provided by local, national and international entities to foster research and conservation of this unique monument. “With the generous support of Minera Antamina, Asociación Ancash, Minera Barrick and IRG Cultural Preservation Fund, Global Heritage Fund (GHF) and Stanford University, in partnership with the Instituto Nacional de Cultura, have been able to help reverse the serious deterioration of Chavín de Huántar. GHF has also attracted new support from the Peruvian government, multi-nationals including Telefónica, and the Government of Japan. Along with the Instituto de Desarrollo Regional Chawpin Peru (INDERCHAP) they have trained over thirty Chavín townspeople in archaeological conservation and in the preparation of thousands of Chavín artifacts which were researched, conserved and inventoried for the upcoming Chavín Museum.” (2)

It was quite an experience and a special treat to visit this archeological site, listen to the stories and information of the guide, and see all the work of the archeologists being currently performed. All this gave us the opportunity to rediscover Chavín, and I encourage you to do so. Let's go back to this beautiful region at the end of the rainy season!

(1) Insight Guide Peru
(2) Global Heritage Fund (GHF is the leading international conservancy preserving endangered world heritage sites).

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