| Kuelap is an ancient and truly
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| | Chachapoya architectural sites, only one
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| magnificent structure. The only place
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| | among hundreds of similarly constructed
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| that can really compare to its size,
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| | settlements straddling ridges and
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| mystery and grandeur is the Sanctuary of
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| | clinging tomountain tops. It is presumed
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| MachuPicchu, but even then, Kuelap is at
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| | to have taken at least 200 years to
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| least twice as old and quite a bit
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| | complete and was only brought to the
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| bigger- it is estimated to contain 3
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| | world's attention in1843, when it was
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| times more material than Egypt's largest
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| | found in remarkably good condition by
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| pyramid!
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| | Juan Crisóstomo Nieto.
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| It was built by the Chachapoyas (meaning
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| | It was built on top of a huge mountain
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| the warriors of the clouds), which was
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| | peak using millions of cubic feet of
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| what the Inkas called these people (the
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| | stone and consists of massive exterior
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| name they used to refer to themselves is
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| | stone walls, which contain more than four
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| unknown). Very little is currently known
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| | hundred buildings inside. It is roughly
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| of this culture and since the Incas and
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| | (no comma) 584m long and 110m Wide, with
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| the Spanish conquistadors were the
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| | 20 meter high walls.
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| principal sources of information on the
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| | Inside the Kuelap fortress can be found
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| Chachapoyas, unbiased, first-hand
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| | various structures whose use, or purpose,
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| information of this indigenous culture
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| | is a complete mystery. One, known as " El
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| remains scarce. Much of what we do know
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| | Tintero," is a large stone structure
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| about them is based on archaeological
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| | built in the shape of an inverted cone,
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| evidence from ruins, pottery, tombs and
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| | a real challenge to the laws of gravity,
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| other artifacts.
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| | since the diameter of its top is much
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| The Chachapoyas were an Andean people who
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| | larger than that of its bottom. Some
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| lived in the cloud forests of the
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| | think it was a prison. Others think it
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| Amazonas region of present-day Peru and
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| | was an oracle observatory where the
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| one of the most advanced civilizations to
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| | shaman would go inside to observe a
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| develop in this tropical jungle region.
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| | special star pass over "the lens" to
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| Studies of pre-Inka Chachapoya skeletal
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| | signal an exact time or event of the
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| remains from Salsipuedes and other burial
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| | year.
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| Sites indicate that the Chachapoyas were
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| | Around the fortress, set inside each of
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| of Andean stock but, on average, taller
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| | the five walls, are gigantic open
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| thantheir contemporaries in other parts
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| | doorways or portals. The best preserved
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| of ancient Peru (1.59 meters for men and
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| | portal, and probably the principal one,
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| 1.46 meters for women).
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| | is 10m high and 3m wide. As you go inside
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| Among the scattered colonial descriptions
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| | the entryway you'll see a passage that
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| of Chachapoyas, almost all the
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| | looks like a ramp with walls and if you
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| Chroniclers commented on the beauty and
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| | continue along this passage it will start
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| white skin of the women. Even Father
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| | to narrow down to a small tunnel until,
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| Calancha succumbed to their beauty,
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| | eventually, it will only allow the
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| noting:
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| | passage of one person at a time. This
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| "These are the... most graceful Indians
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| | would have been an ideal place to fend
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| in all the Indies and the women are the
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| | off enemies; since the walls are too high
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| most beautiful."
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| | to scale or raise ladders to access, the
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| The chronicler Pedro Cieza de León
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| | gigantic doors would seem the logical way
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| described them:
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| | for an enemy to storm inside. However,
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| "They are the... most handsome of all the
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| | once they had started up the ramp, they
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| people that I have seen in Indies, and
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| | would discover too late, that the
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| their wives were so beautiful that
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| | passageway narrowed down to where only
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| because of their gentleness, many of them
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| | one person at a time could squeeze inside
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| deserved to be the Incas' wives and to
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| | the citadel.
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| also be taken to the Sun Temple (...) The
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| | Though it might seems that Kuelap was
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| women and their husbands always dressed
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| | built for defensive purposes, the true
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| in woolen clothes and in their heads they
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| | reason for its construction remains
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| wear their llautos, which are a sign they
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| | unknown. Some have tried to demonstrate
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| wear to be known everywhere."
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| | that it, was more than a fortress; it
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| Their art style also reflects a mix of
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| | might have been a fortified place
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| local and exotic influences. According to
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| | destined to serve as refuge to the
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| the analysis of the Chachapoyas objects,
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| | population in emergency cases. Some say
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| their cultural goods have Andean roots
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| | that the Chachapoyas didn't build their
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| and do not exhibit Amazon cultural
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| | citadels on the tops of mountains for
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| tradition. The well-preserved burial
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| | defensive reasons at all, but in order to
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| offerings found near the Laguna de los
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| | make maximum use of the land for
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| Cóndores (the lake of the condors) are
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| | cultivation.
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| playing a vital part in revealing answers
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| | Referred to as the 'Machu Picchu of the
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| regarding the genesis of the style.
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| | north,' there is still a great deal to
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| Recurring images found throughout the
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| | discover and investigate about Kuelap. It
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| area in pictographs and in textiles and
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| | has a veil of mystery that intrigues all
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| gourds display human figures sporting
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| | those who visit it, although they are few
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| feathered headdresses, which suggests
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| | due to its remote location, but many say
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| common narratives and beliefs and the
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| | that its beauty far outweighs the
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| myths they reflect. Another image found
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| | hardships of getting there. Over the past
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| near the laguna is that of a feline-like
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| | decade, the Peruvian government has been
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| animal with fanged teeth. Such
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| | working on making it easier for tourists
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| representations may reflect aspects of
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| | to access. Kuelap is a treasure of
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| Chachapoya symbolism, whose meaning has
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| | ancient secrets that deserves to be
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| been lost in time.
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| | viewed and protected.
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| Kuelap is the biggest and most famous of
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