Peruvian Civilization at a Glance
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
The Inca civilization, which flourished for hundreds of years and left behind priceless archeological artifacts, will be revived in Seoul.
Dating from ancient Andes civilizations to the Incan Empire, 351 Peruvian relics will be exhibited at the National Museum of Korea titled ``The Great Myth and Mystery of Peruvian Civilization.''
The relics are among rare items that are hard to see even in Peru. These are treasures that are scattered at nine different museums throughout Peru including the National Museum of Archaeology, Anthropology and History of Peru and the Lord of Sipan Museum.
The exhibition organized by the National Museum, the Hankook Ilbo, the sister paper of The Korea Times and SBS is the largest of its kind that comprehensively shows the flow of the birth, development and demise of the Incan civilization.
Particularly, notable are treasures from the tomb of the Lord of Sipan. The tomb located in Chiclayo, northern Peru belonged to King Moche who ruled some 1,700 years ago. Other fascinating exhibits include artifacts from the mystical Nazca lines and Machu Picchu, also known as the castle in the air.
The exhibition consists of three sections ― The Legend of the Andes Civilization; the Development of Civilization; and the Empire of Gold, Inca.
Legend of the Andes Civilization
The first part of the exhibition shows the early ages ranging from the Lithic Period (B.C. 12,000-6,000), the Archaic Period (B.C. 6,000-1,800) to the Formative Period (B.C. 1,800-100).
This section introduces myths and origins of the ancient inhabitants of the Andean civilization and the rise of Peruvian civilization.
The exhibition guides visitors through the Lithic Period, which shows how the first inhabitants settled in the Andean highlands.
The Archaic Period's relics suggest the beginning of Andean civilization in which the indigenous people began an agricultural life. The exhibition also explores the Formative Period through the artifacts from the Chavin Culture (B.C. 1,000-400), Cupisnique Culture (B.C. 1,200-200) and Paracas Culture (B.C. 1,000-A.D. 200).
Not to miss in this section is the mantle depicting deities from Paracas (B.C. 1,000-A.D. 200). The textile was used for wrapping a mummy in the belief that life goes on even after death. Particularly, the mantle is treasured for its high quality weaving methods, colors and patterns.
The mantle, which represented the social status of the dead, was usually buried with the body. It is patterned with 29 deities on a black background, and 10 deities on a red one. The deities hold a cane decorated with a snake shape in their left hands and a monkey in their right hands.
Development of Civilization
The second part of the exhibition highlights golden artifacts, particularly those excavated from Lord of Sipan's tomb.
In 1987, the tomb located in the Lambayeque Region of the Province of Chiclayo, District of Zana, Annex of Sipan, township of Huaca Rajada, revealed pottery and burial urns. Rooms and storehouses were also discovered.
The Lord of Sipan was the prince of the middle valley of Lambayeque, in a period from the 2nd to the 3rd century A.D.
He sought control over military, religious and civil affairs, and exercised his authority from the governing complex, which allowed him to watch everything including the sea, the mountains, the desert, the valley and farmlands.
This section deals with the period of regional development (B.C. 100-A.D. 600), the Wari Empire (A.D. 600-900), the period of regional states (A.D. 900-1470) and other Andean living cultures.
These cultures evolved from various ancient states including Viru, Vicus, Moche, Recuay, Nazca and Tiahuanaco, which developed regional characteristics.
The exhibition introduces the Viru and Vicus cultures that succeeded Chavin culture after its collapse.
The Wari Empire was a political formation that emerged around A.D. 500 in the central and northern highlands of Peru. The empire was the first urban and state level society in the Andes area, a sophisticated civilization established in the Ayacucho region of Peru. The state grew from its capital city of Huari (Wari), which developed urban characteristics.
The period of regional states treasures symbolizing the power of the king, such as gold and silver artifacts, show the transitional period from the birth of the civilization to the development of the state.
Also, other ancient Peruvian cultural aspects such as music, textiles ― Chicha, a term used in some regions of Latin America for several varieties of fermented beverages ― Coca and agricultural products, are showcased in this section.
The Empire of Gold: Inca
The final section features politics, religions and cultures of the Inca Empire. The Inca civilization based around Lake Titicaca conquered the ancient states of Chavin, Moche, Nazca and Tiwanaku, unifying the political, economic, cultural, linguistic and religious structures in the year 1300.
Afterwards, the empire assigned an administrative leader to each colony and forced them to follow its governing structure. The conquered people had to worship the Sun God and speak Quechua, the official language of the Incans.
The territory began to take the form of a true kingdom beginning with its ninth king, Pachacuti (1438-1471). At that time, it extended over 4,000 kilometers along the spine of the Andes and had a population of 6 million. The empire, divided into four partitions based on "ayllus" (clans), prospered, but perished with the Spanish conquest in 1532.
The empire used Chasquis, a group of agile and highly-trained runners that delivered messages, royal delicacies and other objects throughout the Inca Empire.
This section also highlights the treasures from Machu Picchu known as ``the lost city of the Inca.'' Machu Picchu was discovered by Hiram Bingham, an American historian, in 1911. Machu Picchu, which means ``Old Peak'' in Quechua, the language spoken by the Incas was thought to be a sanctuary for the preparation of priestesses and brides for the Inca nobility. Located 112 kilometers from Cusco and situated 2,550 meters above sea level, Machu Picchu is surrounded by the sub-tropic green of the Urubamba River and the cliffs that heighten its mystic allure. It was a holy place that could only be accessed by Inca nobles, ministers, female priests and chosen women.
The section also presents the collapse of the Inca Empire through the Spanish conquest through historical records.
Six mummies of three adults, one baby and two animals are the highlights of the exhibition. According to the museum, it took five hours to adjust the temperature and humidity to preserve the mummies in the best condition, which were perfectly protected in the dry climate in Peru. The mummies wear clothes and ornaments, which shows customs and characteristics of Andean civilization. They didn't regard life and death as separate states, holding a festival for the dead by building a public cemetery. The mummy from the Nazca civilization is covered with specially woven textiles. The mummy of a monkey and an adult mummy wearing clothing from Chiribaya (A.D. 900-1440) were naturally dehydrated and remain in well-preserved condition. ``The Peruvian mummies are different from Egyptian mummies, which are mostly covered with linen, were left lying down. But these are seated and remained without wrapping clothes,'' Choi Heung-seon, curator of the museum, said. He said that it was hard to borrow the mummies from the Peruvian government because they are reluctant to show to the public for preservation reasons. ``These mummies are archeologically valuable because they are very well preserved. People can see even the eyebrows and hair of the mummies. These were mostly ordinary people not kings, which are distinguished from Egyptian mummies,'' he said. The Peruvian mummies were mostly destroyed by the Spanish who believed in Catholicism and remained in a small number. For that reason, the Peruvian cultural agency makes them the public in a limited way. The loaning of the mummies are the result of continuous efforts of the National Museum of Korea and understanding and cooperation of the Peruvian government, the curator said.