caral

We took a day trip to Caral, "La Civilización Más Antigua de América." It is located about 115 miles north of Lima, situated 15 miles inland from the desert coast of Perú, in a valley of barren mountains.

Settled about 5,000 years ago, Caral's pyramids and mummies are contemporary with those in Egypt. According to our guide, researchers believe the city was meticulously planned (versus organically blossomed), which suggests a ritual function. (Think New York City and Washington, D.C. New York happened because people came. Washington, D.C. was deliberately architected to fulfill a specific function.) The inhabitants of Caral performed many ceremonies as well as traded with neighbors from the coast and jungle.

Being on the site and imaging specters walking to and fro, trading, aching, and laughing was surreal. Aside from the idea of something impressive, the sight of monochromatic dirt, rock, and sky did not fill me with cheer.