Welcome to Part II of the Tom Walls journey to the Land of Truth.

One man's trip to Peru; your trip to eternal salvation, or triple your money back

Kuelap & Chachapoyas

My trip actually began in the northern Department of Amazonas, where the Andes slide down into the Amazon jungle. We were in a cloud forest environment, which displays attributes of both mountain and jungle. The weather is pleasant only a few months out of the year. The Incas referred to the mysterious inhabitants of this region, Chachapoyas, as "the cloud people."

View of outer walls of the abandoned fortress Kuelap in Chachapoyas area in northern Peru. These 60 foot tall walls were once higher, as evidenced by many of the building blocks strewn around the outer wall.

I want my mummy! Typical Chachapoyan mummy set in a cliff mausoleum. These bandaged dudes have survived open exposure to the elements for hundreds of years! Photo courtesy of InkaNatura Travel.

Some intact inner walls of Kuelap; vegetation has clearly been cleaned up. Rediscovered in the 1840s and neglected by archaeologists ever since, Kuelap is over half a mile long and its outer walls are over sixty feet high (They are estimated to have reached a height of over 75 feet, judging from erosion and toppled stones strewn around the fortress).

Edwin, a local youth, points to the hole atop the "inkwell," or tintero, a mound inside the complex which, according to legend, was used for sacrifices. The hole goes down 30 feet, and bones of puma, anaconda and humans have been found inside.

A carving on the side of the "inkwell."

A closeup of the carvings.

Typical round houses of the Chachapoyas people. Note the two designs on the friezes.

Sacred burial chamber at Kuelap. Very sacred.

Close-up of chamber with bones and Dobbs relief mask

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Thanks, "Bob!"

There's more to come, such as my psychedelic experiences at Kuelap and the grisly catacombs of underground Lima, so keep checking back for more PUZZLING EVIDENCE!

Go back to Part I

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