The funerary towers of Sillustani

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That day in the afternoon we were taking the bus to Arequipa (another 5-hour bus ride) so that morning I was really tempted to stay in bed and rest... but then again, when would I be in Peru again?? So, I dragged myself out of bed and at about 9am took a taxi to Sillustani, a pre-Inca burial ground. I had read about the site, and thought it would be interesting to have a look, but little did I know that its location would take my breath away....

The scenery was undescribable, and who wouldn't want to be buried at such a site... pity the dead wouldn't be able to admire the views.... 😊

The tombs, which are built above ground in tower-like structures called chullpas, are the vestiges of the Colla people, Aymara who were conquered by the Inca in the 1400s. The structures housed the remains of complete family groups, although they were probably limited to nobility. Many of the tombs have been dynamited by grave robbers, while others were left unfinished. The insides of the tombs were shaped like a woman's uterus, and corpses were mummified in a fetal position to recreate their birth. The only openings to the buildings face east, where it was believed the Sun was reborn by Mother Earth each day.

We weren't there too long, since we had a bus to take later that day .... but long enough to appreciate the sense of peace and tranquility of this truly exceptional place ....

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Photos

Chullpas
Some chullpas are HUGE....

Aplaca
Quite a hairy one...