Lambayeque: Ventarron and its Archaeological Landscape

In the middle of the Lambayeque dessert, a Huaca located beside a colored hills defies knowledge about the origins of the Peruvian culture. 

it is known as one of the most generous valleys in the world. 

From where we stand it is spacious, bright and sunny. The surrounding mountains are arid and, amongst them, one stands out, Ventarron.  It is oriented to the north and at the foot of the hill, are seen in three colors, blue-gray at the base, yellow in the middle, and red on top. You can also observe geological faults, which seems to form a spider web, the mythical insect, which prognosticated rain in many cultures.

The valley is crossed by two rivers, and the sea is about 20 kilometers away. Next to the colorful mountain lies a quiet town where he lives with his family and worked for five years, the archeologist Nacho Alva , directing research and field work that changed the understanding of the northern cultural origin. We are in the Huaca Ventarron in a valley 12 km2 in which you will find also other temples and ceremonial centers from preceramic era.

The design is born from the mountain;

The archaeological works have allowed to understand what happened in Moche and Lambayeque culture before the Sicán culture. Ventarron with more than 4000 years in antiquity and contemporary with Caral is the cultural origin of the department of Lambayeque. This enormous huaca, which is divided in three clearly marked phases, which keeps inside the first American polychrome murals, paintings, imitating the sacred mountain, are made of blue, yellow and red colors. Furthermore its construction is quite innovative due to the techniques and materials used which all originate from the same valley and its rivers.

The landscape mimics the architectural work. It is perhaps the first construction whose design stems from the natural environment that surrounds it. These societies survived from fishing and agriculture, their fields cultivated cotton, corn, vegetables and roots, which made Ventarron a great administrative and commercial center during the archaic era, where they also domesticated animals and plants. 

As a result of climate breakdown in 1600 AC they moved toward to a nearby location, known as Collud Zarpán. It maintains the monumental architecture and engravings. In one of them you can observe a figure reminiscent of the spider, the  god creator of the networks and, later, would be replaced by Aia Apaec of the Moche culture. Therefore Nacho considers that this place functioned as a religious center, where offerings have been found of animals normally found in the Peruvian jungle.  This year Ventarron will have on site museum where archaeological rests will be exhibited. In addition, local people, supported by Counterpart Fund Peru-France, for the site will work as guides and offer, cuisine made with the products of the valley.

With the intention to offer a traveling experience, where one integrates nature and culture and its first inhabitants of the Northern part of Peru.

Tours related to this article can be found in our following web pages; www.peru4x4adventures.con or www.domiruth.travel

You can also contact Martin Harbaum under following mail: mharbaum@mac.com