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<< Text Pages >> Marcahuasi - Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature in Peru

Submitted by Andy B on Wednesday, 29 July 2015  Page Views: 1342

Natural PlacesSite Name: Marcahuasi
Country: Peru Type: Natural Stone / Erratic / Other Natural Feature
Nearest Town: Lima
Latitude: 11.788889S  Longitude: 76.573611W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
4 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
3 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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Marcahuasi is a plateau in the Andes Mountains, located east of Lima, on the mountain range that rises to the right bank of the Rímac River. This mountain range dominates the landscape at 4,000 m above sea level and the place is known for curious huge shapes of human faces, animals visible in granite rock.

The place was first investigated by Daniel Ruzo during the 1950s and in an area of about 3 km2, several hundred curious shapes are found, which may be natural formations. The place is located at a height of about 12500 feet in the Andes Mountain.

The plateau originated from a volcanic reaction. It is about 4 square kilometres in area, and is located almost 4,000 meters high in Huarochirí Province, east of Lima, Peru. Marcahuasi is home to a unique set of huge granite rocks with curious shapes resembling human faces, animals, and religious symbols. There are many theories as to their origins, including the assertion that their unusual shapes formed naturally through erosion. Some argue that they are sculptures shaped by ancient people but archaeologists state that the shapes are the result of erosion over centuries. There are some small pre-Columbian structures, which are tombs of ancient people and some of which are robbed and vandalised.

There is also a collection of ruins on the north side of the plateau. Over 50 structures still stand in varying states of decay. The doorways are very small, some three feet high. Most of the structures are narrow since the use of arches was not known, therefore spans had to be covered with suitable rock that may have been quarried locally. There are also what appear to be burial tombs on the outskirts of the settlement.

Based on an article at: Wikipedia
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Nearby Images from Flickr
Freedom
Chullpa
Marcahuasi Sunset
Marcahuasi Sunshine

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Nearby sites listing. In the following links * = Image available
 28.4km WNW 292° Checta Rock Art
 39.0km N 357° Cantamarca Ancient Village or Settlement
 43.4km W 278° Temple of the Fox Ancient Temple
 61.3km SW 236° Huaca Huallamarca* Pyramid / Mastaba
 61.5km SW 234° Huaca Pucllana* Pyramid / Mastaba
 62.0km WSW 239° Museo Nacional de Arqueología Antropología e Historia del Peru* Museum
 62.0km WSW 253° El Paraiso* Ancient Temple
 62.6km WSW 240° Museo Arqueologico Rafael Larco Herrera* Museum
 63.0km SW 214° Pachacamac* Ancient Temple
 63.5km WSW 239° Huaca Huantille* Pyramid / Mastaba
 104.4km S 171° Uquira Ancient Palace
 129.3km WNW 301° Bandurria* Ancient Village or Settlement
 131.8km NW 318° Capilla Ancient Village or Settlement
 132.2km NW 319° Jaiva Ancient Village or Settlement
 133.3km NW 315° Peñico Ancient Village or Settlement
 134.6km NW 316° Huacache Ancient Village or Settlement
 141.7km NW 315° Llaqta Ancient Village or Settlement
 143.4km NW 306° Vichama* Ancient Village or Settlement
 143.6km NW 314° Caral* Ancient Village or Settlement
 144.1km NW 314° Allpacoto Ancient Village or Settlement
 144.5km NW 314° Chupacigarro Ancient Village or Settlement
 145.8km NW 314° Miraya Ancient Village or Settlement
 146.0km NW 314° Cerro Colorado Ancient Village or Settlement
 147.1km NW 314° Lurihuasi Ancient Village or Settlement
 147.9km NW 314° Pueblo Nuevo Ancient Village or Settlement
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