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