Huaca San Borja
May 1, 2009
Part of the Lima PreColombina series
It was not as important or majestic as the other huacas that once stood nearby, specifically those of the grand Limatambo not far away, but at least it breaks the mould of the modern district of San Borja, a district only a little more than 30 years old, built over the farm land that once surrounded this, the Huaca San Borja.
Huaca San Borja
Located on Avenida Canada where it meets Avenida de la Arqueología, not far from Avenida San Luis, this pyramidal structure’s age outstrips everything else in San Borja, save the río surco, by at least 500 years. It was built by the Ichma, the culture that inhabited the valley after Wari influence faded and before the Incas arrived, between 900A.D. and 1470A.D.
Being such a minor religious and administrative site probably played some part in its survival during the Spanish colonial era, and being out in the middle of nowhere, in what was farmland until just 40 years ago, is why it is still here today to be preserved and studied.
As seen on a sunny day
Found in the middle of urban sprawl
Comments (3)
This is a most interesting place. Being from the US I had no idea that I could get so close to a dig in progress, and see the findings in plastic bags that are being unearthed today from a time so long ago. I am from Kentucky, and have been around Indian arrow heads and the such all my life, but those are almost new items when compared to the pottery and and other items found in this site, and others in Peru. I can hardly wait for future trips so I can go to some of the other areas in the north that have been found, and some not found yet…..
I feel exactly the same. The feeling of climbing a hill in Peru and seeing the remains of an ancient city as yet unstudied, with fragments of pottery and textiles scattered around is simply amazing.
The Ichma also inhabited Barranco, Chorrillos and Surco. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCOZOQTBpjo
San Borja has done a good job taking care of its huaca, but unfortunately not all districts do the same.
Very nice posts you are doing. I will take more time to read them more in depth once I get back to the U.S.